The Homecoming
by MySelflessLove
Summary: The way it suppose to be between Stefan and Elena in season 3 already.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first fan fiction story ever. I hope you'll like it! ;) It was special gift for my friend on our Stelena Day **

** I'm sorry if my english or writing style are a bit confusing in some parts, as I said it's my FIRST story EVER! also I know it looks like I've taken many ideas from actual tv show, BUT I had this idea a long time ago. actually before 3x09 was even aired. anyway, I hope you'll enjoy my work! 33**

**P.S. you can find me on youtube & twitter MySelflessLove**

~ The Homecoming

_It's 6am._

_I'm awake. _

_And it's another day to struggle through._

_ As always first thing that crosses my mind is He.. Stefan. I'm hoping. I keep telling myself that it's going to be fine.. But I can't.. I can't get through this alone. _

_I miss him. I miss him every day. Every single second of my life. But it doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore .._

_But I have to be strong. I have to wake up and face the truth. The truth that He doesn't care. He doesn't want me. _Elena felt tears coming down her cheeks. Again. She couldn't remember the day she wasn't crying. Every day this happened. She woke up and somehow lived through one day. She just .. existed. She was like a zombie.

But today Elena had to put fake smile upon her face, because it was The Homecoming, and she had promised herself she won't ruin it for her friends. She had promised Caroline and Bonnie to help them get ready and she will play her part perfectly.

The Homecoming.. They have dreamt about it since 7th grade. How perfect everything would be... _The Golden Couple, _Elena thought, _that was she and Matt. The Cheerleader and The Captain of Football team. Perfect match. _For a moment Elena laughed. It was sad, ironic laugh. How much everything has changed since 7th grade.. If someone would have told Elena Gilbert, that she will be alone and miserable on night of The Homecoming party, everybody would be laughing. She, the queen Mystic Falls High School, alone on night of the Homecoming dance? Impossible!

You didn't need to go back to 2007 to find incredulous people. Last year everyone wanted what Elena had. Stefan Salvatore. Rich, handsome, football player. Mysterious boy with smile that melted girls's hearts everywhere. Last year no one had doubt who will be this year's Homecoming Queen and King.

But nothing was like last year. Stefan left with Klaus to save Damon's life. And when he came back. He was completely different person. A Ripper.

Elena wiped another tear. This was the truth. She has lost him.

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_You can do this, Elena! Just smile! _Elena told herself and opened doors.

„Hey!" Caroline, all excited and smiling like a sunshine, shouted and hugged Elena.

„Hi!" Bonnie. With an understnading smile she welcomed Elena. Caroline was an amzing friend, but she just .. she never saw true feelings of people. While Bonnie knew that Elena faked her smile and excitement. She was trying to convince Caroline to leave Elena alone. Without success.

„Hey!" Elena smiled. She could see in Bonnie's eye that she knew exactly how Elena felt.

„Oh my God, Elena," Caroline shouted „your hair loks like haystack! We don't have enough time to make them!"

„Caroline.. I.."

„Oh no! Don't even think of telling me that you feel _bad_! You ARE coming to dance tonight! Jesus, Elena, it's The Homecoming! We have dreamt about this since 7th grade! You can't miss it! Besides you're nominated as a Queen, remember? And .."

„Caroline!" Bonnie interrupted and gave her look.

„What?" Caroline screamed. Then she saw Elena's face and loosened up a bit. „Okay, I got it. You can't stop whining over Stefan. But you _can't_ stay here forever. You have to go out, enjoy life. Besides what could possibly go wrong in high school dance? C'mon, Elena, you know you need this!"

„She's right, Elena. You need a change." Bonnie added.

Elena flinch. It happened whenever someone said _his_ name aloud. But they were right. She needed a change. And, really, what could possibly go wrong in school dance? Klaus hasn't give any sign that he would attack them. „Okay, you won. I'll go!"

„Yeey!" Caroline clapped hands. „It's going to be awesome! You still have dress you made for tonight months ago, right?"

_That dress. It was made for The Homecoming months ago. She and.. and Stefan had matched their outfits since everyone was pretty sure they would win tonight. _Elena buried thoughts of her and Stefan and nodded. „Yeah, I still have that dress."

„Excellent!" Caroline smiled. „So now we just have to figure out what to do with your hair and those terrible blue circles around your eyes and we can go rock the dance floor." She said and went to bathroom to find something that would help her get rid of blue circles around Elena's eyes.

„Thank you for saying yes!" Bonnie said. „You know it means a lot to Caroline since she is pretty sure she and Tyler will win.. Ehm, I'm sorry... I.."

„It's okay, Bonnie. I'm sure she will win. Caroline deserves it." Elena knew it has always been Caroline's dream to be called as The Homecoming Queen. And she was sure herself that it will happen. She may still be nominated but who would ever vote for her and Stefan now? When the _official _version that she and Stefan have _broken up_ came out people couldn't stop talking.

Anyway Caroline and Tyler were The Couple now. Everyone was voting for them, and they deserved it. Elena didn't cared about tiara and her photo on school's wall. Not now, when her _king _basically was a murderer. A sudden knock at the doors took her back to reality.

„Are you expecting someone?" Bonnie asked.

„No." Elena answered and opened the door.

„Hello, are you Elena Gilbert?" a man, courier, asked Elena, holding package in his hands.

„Yeah, I am." Surprised Elena whispered.

„Well this is for you," courier said and gave her package. „Please sign it here!"

„Who send it?"

„I have no idea. But there should be a note inside. Ok, thank you! Have a good day!'

„Yeah, thanks! You too!" Elena said, still stunned and surprised.

„What is it? Who could have send it?"

„I have no idea, Bonnie," Elena said.

„WOW! What is this?" Caroline came in. „What are you waiting for? Open it!"

Elena opened package not knowing if she should be worried or glad. She had no idea who would send her anything.

In the package there was box, a little perfect box that had bow on it. A gift. But from _who_? Elena slowly took out the box, still worried that it might be another trick from Klaus, another threat.

Caroline all excited couldn't understand why Elena was so suspicious and shouted „C'mon, Elena! Open it! It's just a box!"

Elena took away bow and opened black velvet box. She was breathless. In the box there was beautiful pearl necklace that probably costed fortune!

But that didn't suprise her so much. She _knew_ this necklace. _This_ necklace. Elena couldn't believe her eyes. She remembered last year. The day they were shopping for The Homecoming. Knowing that all good dresses will be taken by the time of February Elena, Caroline and Bonnie were shopping. They all already had dresses, now they were looking for right accessories. In jewelry shop they were looking for necklaces, well actually they were just checking them since they all cost a fortune and none of the girls had _that_ much money to buy one of these anyway. That one pearl necklace that cost a 2000 dollars was so beautiful and it was perfect for Elena's dress, but of course it was _too_ much. She remembered how she and Stefan were talking that day later and that Elena had told Stefan about the necklace. She never had an idea that he should buy it for her. No, it was _too_ much, she just told him..

Elena came back to reality when Caroline was asking „Oh my God! It's incredible! This must costed fortune! Who send you it? Is there a note?"

But Eelna already knew _who_ send it, she was just confused and million questions went through her head while she took a note. _Oh my God_ thought Elena. She knew _who_ has this handwriting and with trembling hands she opened note that said _„Dear Elena, I wanted you to know that no matter what happens, you will always be my Queen. I love you. Stefan." _Elena could feel tears coming down her cheeks. The note said it was May 3, 2010. The day they went shopping, the day Elena had told Stefan about necklace. He had made her a surprise one year before The Homecoming.

„What is it? Who send it?" asked Caroline and Bonnie, both at the same time.

Elena couldn't speak, she just gave note to her friends. _You will always be my Queen. _How much everything has changed..

„Oh my God! This is so romantic!" Elena heard Caroline saying.

„He made sure that this was given to you in this exact day.. Oh Elena, I'm so sorry!" Bonnie whispered and hugged Elena.

But suddenly Elena took the box and note and reached for her keys. She _had_ to see him.

„Hey, where are you going? We haven't finished your hair yet.." Caroline was shouting to Elena's back.

„Let her go, Caroline." Bonnie whispered.

Both of them, Caroline and Bonnie, looked at each other. They were sure this was not going to end well. But they didn't stop Elena.

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Elena was outside the boarding house, not sure why she was there. What she suppose to tell him? She remembered the last time they had talked..

No, she had to do this! Elena shook her head and got out of the car.

She knocked but no one was answering, so Elena took a deep breath and stepped inside the boarding house.

Everything was silent. Elena didn't dare to shout aloud _his_ name.

„The lovely Elena, what a honor!" said deep voice behind her.

Elena flinched. She slowly turned around and suddenly she felt weak. So weak she barely could stand. He was bewitching, like always. It seemed to Elena that he was stronger.. if it was even possible. She shook her head to clear her mind.

„Ehm.." but Elena couldn't speak. What could she say? All she could do was try to ignore his eyes. Still deep as ocean, still the same lapis lazuli, only wild with spark in it that was full with darkness. He was laughing, he could _sense_ her emotions, her_ feelings_ when she saw him again.

„So why did you came here?" Stefan asked with a smirk on his face.

„Because of this.." Elena whispered, looking down at the box with a note, with no hope in her voice. _It was a mistake to come here._

But then she saw, she catched him staring at box. It was just a moment, just a few quick seconds before he went back to his position. She knew he remembered and suddenly Elena had hope. If he remembered, she could make him care. Make him remember why he had bought it.

„What is it?" with an icy tone in his voice Stefan spit out.

„I think you know _what_ it is." Elena answered with faith in her voice.

„I have no idea what you are talking about!" Stefan got more and more angrier.

Elena could see he was lying and that gave her even bigger faith. „_This_ necklace. _This_ note. _You_ wrote it! _You_ made sure that I got it exactly today, when The Homecoming dance is. Last year _you_ wrote this note, bought _this_ necklace _for me_! Don't you say, you don't remember!"

„Elena, it's just some stupid note and necklace! _Why are you here_?" he repeated his question.

„I.. Im here, Stefan, because I believe! I believe that the guy _who_ bought this necklace, the guy _who_ write this note and the guy _who_ made sure this is delivered to me exactly today, is still there in you!" she said and moved closer to him.

„_This_," Stefan snap out note from Elena's hands making her flinch, „_this_ means nothing to me! Do you hear me_? Nothing_!" He also reached for a box with a necklace, taking it out of of Elena's hand roughly. „_All this_ was waste of time! This means nothing to me!" he repeated with an icy tone that made Elena flinch again.

And then the words, _the meaning_ of them hit her. Elena felt tears coming down her cheeks. Suddenly she felt like she was paralyzed_. He didn't care. All of it was waste of time._

„It was _all_ waste of time?" she repeated. „All as.. _me and you_?"

Stefan slowly said words so they would turn out to be even more hurtful for her „All of it. _All_." He repeated.

„I.. I.." but suddenly nothing mattered. _He didn't care_. Elena turned away and ran out of the house. She had no idea how she got into car, how she manage to get to the house, because all she could see was blur. Tears were coming and coming. The words didn't leave her head. _All of it. All._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elena ran into her house. She wasn't sure if she was sad or angry.

„Oh my God! What happened?" once again both, Bonnie and Caroline, shouted.

„Nothing!" Elena screamed. The last thing she wanted was to talk about it. To ever remember her conversation with him. She couldn't even say _his_ name in her mind anymore. It was too painful. All this time Elena had been holding on to her memories with him. Now.. now _nothing_ mattered.

Caroline and Bonnie could both feel Elena's mood. They knew that, if Elena would want to talk about it, she would. They both knew it was better to leave her alone for now. When she will be ready, she will talk.

So instead of asking any questions about what happened Caroline asked „Do you want us to make your hair up or down?"

Elena almost laughed. The Homecoming. But she knew she _had_ to go out, otherwise.. Elena didn't even wanted to think about what would happen if she would be alone. Suddenly she was so grateful that her friends were here. She was not sure what she could do to herself.. So Elena simply answered „Up." And let Bonnie and Caroline take care of her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elena was standing in her room looking at the mirror. As Caroline has said _she looked gorgeous_. Elena was wearing black gown with sparkly skirt that whenever Elena would move showed million lights. As she ordered before, her hair was up. She was _beautiful_. But _broken_. But it doesn't matter what she was like inside. No one of the people would recognize her pain. Because no one care. She put fake smile upon her face. She won't ruin this night for Caroline. She will go and wait till Caroline gets her tiara, then Elena would say that she was feeling bad and she should go home. She will say that it's ok, that the others can stay and enjoy the night. She will be fine. She just needs some sleep.

Elena heard Bonnie's car outside. Elena took one last breath and went downstairs. She will surive. Somehow.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Elena stepped inside of Mystic Falls High School she immediately lost all her faith in surviving. No matter where she looked she saw couples. Kissing. Hugging. Laughing. And when there were no couples there were laughing friends. All excited. This is going to be hard. She turned around to see smiling Caroline and Tyler, Bonnie and Matt. Her friends. No, _for them_ she will survive. Tonight Elena Gilbert will put her best damn show to make sure none of her friends have to worry about her.

They stepped into dancing hall. All the lights, loud music and crowd caused panic into Elena. This will be impossible to do. Elena took a deep breath and put another fake smile. She had to do it. She knew they were a bit late and that soon principal will come and name The Homecoming Queen and King. Caroline and Tyler. That means soon Elena will be out of this madness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elena was standing with her friends in the corner of hall. Elena was glad they were here. That was Caroline's idea since she wanted her walk to be as long as possible when she will get her tiara. Elena smiled. She looked up at her friends. She has known them her whole life. There was Matt, a bit awkward and kinda silent since he still wasn't fully over Caroline. Then there was Tyler, a jerk last year, a gentleman and perfect boyfriend for Caroline tonight. Caroline. The life and soul of the party. Smiling like a spring sun, she was the true queen tonight. Then there was Bonnie. Elena giggled. She knew Bonnie hated this kind of events. She has always been one step ahead of everyone. Mature. Elena knew she was there just because it was for Caroline.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Somehow Elena managed to be polite and rejected all the boys who wanted to dance with her. After all she was Elena Gilbert. And in this gorgeous black gown she made boys crazy. But she wasn't _that_ Elena Gilbert, no more. Suddenly crazy idea went through her mind that she will _never_ be the same. She couldn't go and dance and flirt with all these boys. She couldn't... Because no matter how much _he_ had hurt her, she loved him. She couldn't betray him with some random teenage boy. She just _couldn't_. So when Caroline asked her why she is rejecting all these boys, instead of saying truth Elena simply said that she was not feeling well. And that wasn't all lie. She wasn't _fine_. She was broken. She will never be the same. _Never_.

Finally Elena could see crowd to stop dancing. Everyone was excited, everyone was whispering. Principal came in and went up to the stage holding envelope in which there were two names: Caroline Forbes and Tyler Lockwood. Elena didn't really listen to principal's speech. It was almost the same every year. Only names changed. Then she could see from people's reaction that it was moment to name The Homecoming Queen and King.

Caroline turned around to see Bonnie and Elena, worried but excited asking „Is my dress ok? And hair?" She was so nervous.

Bonnie smiled and said „Yeah, everything's fine."

And Elena added „You look gorgeous!"

Elena could see the principal opening envelope, she looked at Caroline one last time and smiled.

But then Elena could hear principal's voice saying „So the Homecoming Queen and King of 2012 are...Elena Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore!"

Suddenly Elena's whole life stopped. She was in panic. This must be nightmare. This couldn't be real. She felt Bonnie and Caroline hugging her, but all she could do was whispering „I can't! I... I can't do this! Caroline, you have to go up to the stage!" Elena could see Caroline saying something to hear but she couldn't hear a word. People were still applauding. Elena just shouted „I don't know. Just go up there and compel him. Tell him this is mistake. I can't! I have to go!" And Elena turned away and went as fast as she could. It was problem since her gown and high heels were not helping. Elena was in panic when she felt spotlight on her. _Damn this tradition!_ They always put Queen and King in spotlight till they came to the stage. She could hear principal's voice calling „Elena, the stage is on this way." She couldn't run. Not when whole school was looking at her. After all she was Elena Gilbert. So she turned around and started to walk. That damn spotlight wasn't leaving. When she heard principal saying „Please cheer up for The Homecoming Queen and King: Elena Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore!" Elena realized she should have ran away. Million thoughts were running through her head.

But then she realized the painful truth. She was alone. He didn't care. Her king was no more the Stefan these people remembered. He was a murderer. A Ripper.

She went up on the stage. Elena could hear pricipal next to her calling their names again. _Elena_ _Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore_. The Queen and the King.

Then she saw people. All these people she used to know. She saw Caroline and Bonnie with sad faces. Elena could see that half of the people still didn't get that _no one_ was coming, that Elena is going to be embarrassed in front of everybody.

She saw smiles from people who understood, from people who were Elena's friends. Mostly cheerleaders. And then, and this hit Elena the most, she saw many, many people, mostly girls that have always been jealous of Elena, with smirks on their faces. They knew that _no one_ was coming. And they enjoyed this moment. Moment when Elena Gilbert was finally thrown off of the throne.

Elena was trying to hold tears. She couldn't cry. Not here. Not in front of all these people. She could see that Caroline and Bonnie were already heading to stage to help her. But also she could feel principal coming closer and whispering in hear ear „Sweetheart, where is your date?"

This was another hit. Elena was hardly holding herself from bursting in tears. She bent towards pricipal and whispered „Ehmm.. _No one_ is coming.. Emm.. I don't have a date." She was sobbing but she could see that principal was trying to figure out what to do.

This wasn't the first time when Queen and King have broken up on the night of the Homecoming dance. But they always put great show, took their crowns and went away. Principal couldn't understand why the boy was not coming. And how could he understand? He didn't know anything...

Suddenly Elena was back in reality when she heard deep voice behind her shouting „Sorry I'm late!"

She turned around and couldn't believe her eyes. It was Stefan. Stefan looking so damn charming in tuxedo. In tuxedo that was perfect match with her dress.

He was smiling his best smile. The one that had always made Elena skip a heartbeat.

In that moment she could hear principal calling their names one more time. She didn't know how she would manage not to faint if she wouldn't feel Stefan's strong hand taking hers. She could feel herself smiling. People were applauding, especially when girl and boy from 10th grade were putting crowns on Elena's and Stefan's heads.

Then Stefan asked for a dance. _Another tradition_ this school had. The Queen and King had to start the first official slow dance. Crowd pulled back making circle where Queen and King had to start dance.

Elena put her hand in Stefan's and walked down to the dance floor. She was still smiling. Her heart was still beating fast. She could feel Stefan's cold hand resting on her back. It made her shiver. It wasn't shiver from coldness. It was shiver from passion. She was so confused, so happy, so thrilled, everything seemed to be dream. A perfect dream.

They were dancing and Elena knew that Stefan is holding her, because if he wouldn't, she would probably faint. Also Elena had no idea how she knew dance moves, but Stefan was leading her. And she knew that as long as Stefan was holding her, everything would be fine.

Elena looked up at Stefan. He was smiling and looking at her. She was thinking what he saw in her face. Happiness? Love? Confusion? Passion? Probably mix of everything. Suddenly she remembered everything. What had happened when she had gone to boarding house. _Everything_. Why he was here? Since it _all was waste of time_.

„You came. Why?" Elena asked.

„Oh c'mon! I couldn't miss this" Stefan said with eyes rolling all around. „Besides we won! Couldn't miss this moment of fame, could I?"

Elena heard sarcasm in his voice and his playful smile and spark in these deep eyes. But she wouldn't believe him. High school dance? Really? He wasn't here because of _dance_.

„I think they are waiting for something," Stefan said still smiling.

Oh god, he had this flame in his eyes that made Elena breathless. _Another tradition_. Elena smiled. She started to like this school and its traditions. Third and the last tradition was simple. Queen and King had to kiss while they were dancing official first slow dance. Only after their kiss the other couples could join them.

Elena still smiling looked around. She had no idea how long she and Stefan had been dancing. It felt like forever. She looked in Stefan's deep lapis lazuli eyes again. She wanted _him_. Wanted _him_ so badly. „Yeah we should.. we should kiss so others could.. could dance too," Elena whispered. She didn't care if he didn't wanted her. She felt like it was dream and maybe it was, maybe she was just crazy and still standing alone on the stage. Elena didn't care. If this was dream or her fantasy. She wanted to live it.

She could feel Stefan pushing her closer to him. He was strong, much more stronger than she remembered. She could feel their bodies so close to each other. Elena's head was spinning, her heartbeat going faster and faster. She had to admit she was weak, because Stefan was so charming, so strong, he had her under his control. And then she felt it. Their lips meeting.

Her skin was on fire. She felt Stefan pushing her closer and closer. And suddenly nothing mattered. The people around them, the fights, the pain, things that will happen next. Nothing. Elena couldn't describe what she was feeling. Love. Passion. Lust. She was craving for more and Stefan was giving her. She felt his fingers whirling in her hair. His other hand was touching her back. She forgot everyone and everything. It was just two of them. Elena and Stefan.

Stefan pulled away. They were craving for air. Elena was gasping. She felt Stefan gasping for air as well. It has been so long since they have kissed.

Elena was still trying to get her breathing back to normal, when Stefan whispered „Do you want me to get you home?"

Elena felt stab in her heart. But she shrugged off bad thoughts that _this_ all was just a show for Stefan. She felt _him_. _His_ kiss. If it would be only for show, why would he be so.. passionate?

But she wanted to get home. Though she felt like she was in heaven, her body was tired. Tired from drama and all the emotions. So Elena simply nodded her head and Stefan was leading her out of here. Once again she knew, if he wouldn't take her by hand, she would never find way out of here.

They were driving home in his car. Elena wanted to talk. There were so many things to talk about. So many things she wanted to tell him. But she couldn't speak. So they were sitting next to each other in silence all way to her home. Elena was brought back to reality when Stefan opened doors for her. She got out of the car. And suddenly she realized she _had_ to talk otherwise she will lose him. Lose him again. She couldn't bare the thought of loosing him again.

They were standing on the porch. Elena turned around and started to speak. She wasn't sure for the words. They were just coming out of her mouth. „Stefan.. I.. Why did you came?"

„I already told you." Stefan said, but his voice was breaking off. And that gave Elena a hope. She could feel him fighting inside. She had to use this.

„No! I don't believe this! I don't believe you came just because of some lame Homecoming dance. All this.. saving me from shame.. dance.. _kiss_. I don't believe it means nothing to you!" Elena moved closer to him and cupped her hands on his face. „Stefan.." she said with sweet voice filled with love, „Say something!"

„What do you want me to say?" he said with an icy tone that made Elena flinch. She had lost. She had lost him forever. She bit her lip, trying to hold tears that were coming. She turned around and hurried up to get inside.

Suddenly he was in front of her with wild and crazy look in his eyes. Elena was scared. She knew what will happen. He will bite her. She opened her mouth for scream, when suddenly his lips were on hers.

Elena didn't need a second to understand _what_ he wanted. Stefan somehow got the doors open and they were getting inside still kissing, still not leaving each other lips. Stefan lifted Elena up on the table moving his lips from hers to her neck down to her chest. Elena gasped when she felt his other hand going slowly under her dress.

The next moment her legs were around Stefan's waist and she felt bow when Stefan dashed against the wall. Though they both were out of control, so passionate, Stefan made sure he got all the pressure when they hit another wall.

Elena's legs still around Stefan, Stefan's lips still kissing Elena's, they got into her bedroom. She had no idea how they got till bedroom, how they even got upstairs. He tickled her while his hand was sliding from her thigh back to her neck. She felt her back hit her bed. Stefan was literally tearing off her dress. She was trying to get open his shirt. He helped her with one tug getting it off. For a moment Stefan stopped. Elena opened her eyes and saw Stefan looking at her with look that showed that he was speechless. Elena chuckled. Under her dress she was wearing tight black stays and lacy stockings. That was _what_ made Stefan speechless. And Stefan's lips met Elena's.

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**Chapter two is coming soon ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

~ The Homecoming ~

Chapter 2

By **MySelflessLove**

With smile upon her face Elena woke up. She had the most incredible dream last night. She still had that special feeling you get after fluffy dreams. Memories came back and she squeezed her pillow.

Only then Elena realized that _pillow_ was squeezing back. She opened her eyes. This wasn't a dream. She was laying in her bed, in her bedroom, squeezing _Stefan's_ chest and he was squeezing back.

_Oh my God_, Elena thought. This wasn't a _dream_. She was in the _heaven_. Elena looked up to see Stefan's face. For a moment she skip a heartbeat. He really _was_ there. Laying with her with his eyes closed. Elena knew he wasn't sleeping. And Elena had so many questions, but she didn't dare to ruin this moment by talking so she simply cuddle up closer to Stefan and smiled.

Then she heard his deep but a bit hoarse voice „Good morning!" And he opened her eyes.

Another skip of heartbeat. „Hey.." Elena's voice was calm and happy. The voice she used to have. But then she saw something in his eyes that scared her. It was like her instincts would scream that something was _wrong_. Suddenly she was scared this _was_ only a _dream_ and she _will_ wake up any minute. She shook her head. This wasn't dream!

„Is everything okay?" Of course Stefan has always known how to read her mind. He always knew when something was wrong. Elena thought how her face must look like. „You can talk to me!" He tried again.

What could she say? That she felt like something was wrong? She couldn't say that because she was sure Stefan would misunderstood her. He would thought that _they_ are wrong. She tried to calm her down. It was just her crazy mind. She was there. And _Stefan_ was there. Everything was better than okay.

„You're right!" he said and Elena wasn't sure about what he was talking. Had she said something? God, what was wrong with her?

„You're right, Elena! This .. this was a mistake. Oh God, I'm so sorry! I should have never .. did _this_ .. I just .. last night I lost control. And I'm so sorry! Don't you worry, I'll leave, I .. I'll never come back." Stefan was talking so fast Elena couldn't even interject a word between his.

And he continued talking. He just patter. „I can see from your face you're not okay. Oh my God, I... I never wanted this to happen! Well, I wanted _this_, but not when you feel bad about it. I'm so sorry! Elena, please talk to me! Say something!"

First Elena had panic. What he was talking about? Then words slowly came to her. He _thought_ Elena regret last night .. But then only thing she could think of was his words _I wanted this_. If _Stefan wanted_ Elena, then nothing else mattered.

Elena couldn't find the right words. Words that would express what she felt. She was in heaven. God, how could he thought that she didn't want him.

„Elena, I know this was a mistake. This is not right!" he said with that old voice Stefan had when he used to talk about him drinking human blood. The voice that was full with self-loathing.

And she shouted. Elena couldn't bare thought that Stefan may hate himself. „What are you talking about? How dare you say that _last night_ was a _mistake_? There is nothing wrong about me loving you!" Yes, Elena said those last words as only about herself. She didn't know .. she couldn't speak for Stefan's feelings too.

Stefan got up and sat on bed, leaving Elena laying alone in the bed. She stumbled up and hugged him from back. She felt _it_. She felt that Stefan was drifting away and she needed to do _something_ before she lose him again.

„_Stefan_.." Elena started with voice that was full with love „last night wasn't mistake. In fact, I feel like I'm in heaven. There is nothing wrong about _us_. And.."

But Stefan cut her off. „Nothing wrong with sleeping with a _murderer_? Really?" His tone was icy when he continued „In heaven?" He smirked. „I really did messed this up."

Elena slapped him. She couldn't stand Stefan talking like that about himself. And before Stefan could patter again she shout „I don't care! I don't care that you think you're a murderer! Last night was the best damn thing that has happened to me in the last 6 months! Don't you dare to ruin _this_ moment by saying some bullshit!" Elena heard her voice. The old voice she used to have. Bonnie and Caroline had said that Elena could guide an army with it.

But then in one quick moment Elena was laying on her back and Stefan was on top of her. His eyes were dark red with veins under them. His fangs were out and he looked deadly serious and dangerous. But Elena felt that this was only a mask. A mask that suppose to scare her off. He _wanted_ her to think that he was a murderer. A Ripper.

Elena simply turned her head on one side giving clear way to her neck and she whispered „You can take if you want to. I trust you!" And she closed her eyes. She prayed that her body wouldn't shiver. She wasn't scared of _him_. But her body had its own instincts.

Elena felt Stefan's cold breath close to her vein. She was ready to feel his sharp tooth biting her. But instead she felt gentle kiss. In surprise Elena opened her eyes and looked up at Stefan. His fangs and veins disappeared. He simply whispered, „Elena, I'll _never_ bite you again."

Elena's heart melt. She was looking in his deep lapis lazuli eyes. And then she simply whispered „I love you." It felt so.. _good_ to finally say those words.

In the next moment Stefan was standing in her bedroom angrily mumbling „Alaric is here.."

Elena was in panic. Alaric was here? Did Caroline and Bonnie had said something to him? What she suppose to do? She got out of the bed grabbing first cloth that was in her way. God, she had to get dressed up but she couldn't find anything in her _own_ bedroom. She was irritated. How dare her friends says _anything_ to Alaric!

Elena already heard doors opening and Alaric shouting „Hey, Elena!" She was about to got out of her bedroom when Stefan grabbed her from back.

„Stefan, this is not the time for games. I have to get him out of here!" Elena ordered.

But Stefan wasn't listening. He turned her around so she would see his face and said „I bet you want to keep our little adventure as secret for now. Don't you think dressing like _this_ would expose us?" He said looking down at her and chuckling.

_Damn_, the first cloth she had grabbed was Stefan's shirt. Not in the hell's way Elena could go downstairs with _this_ on her. But Stefan was already handing her robe. She was so slow with taking off his shirt. _Damn_, her human weakness. But Stefan was already helping her get his shirt off, obviously laughing at her. Elena gave him irritated look and got out of her bedroom. That made Stefan laugh even more.

Alaric was already in and from his face Elena could see he didn't know _anything_.

„Hey, Elena! Sorry for coming her without any warning. I didn't know you were still sleeping. I just came to take some stuff."

Elena was confused and felt awkward. Like she was some girl who has done a crime and now trying to hide it from her father. „Yeah.. yeah, it's okay. I just got up." Fake smile.

„Oh really?" Alaric mumbled giving weird look at table in corridor. Only now Elena saw that vase along with clock and some other stuff was on the floor. How could she never heard that vase broke last night?

She was nervous that Alaric would expose them. Also she felt kind of awkward standing there with Alaric remembering what she and Stefan had done _last night_. And Stefan made it only more awkward because Elena could hear giggle from her bedroom. Why he did it? What if Alaric hears him?

„Emm.. yeah it was dark yesterday.. when I got home from Homecoming dance. And I.. I must have run into it. I'll clean it up." Another giggle from her bedroom. He _will pay_ for it.

„Oh okay. You were in dance?" Alaric was glad. He was glad Elena finally went outside her room.

„Yeah, I thought I needed some entertainment." _Lie Elena! Damn, why can't you lie better!_

„Oh, I'm glad you did. It's good for you. You already look.. better." Alaric smiled.

Elena smiled back. _God, why can't Ric just leave?_

„So yeah, I'll go now. See you later!"

_Thank God, finally! _„Yeah, yeah, see you later!"

Elena already gave a sigh when suddenly Alaric turned around and asked „Are you really okay, Elena? You look.. nervous."

„No, no, I'm fine. I'm just tired, you know.." another fake smile.

„Oh okay. You should get dressed. It's already 12 am." Alaric said and he felt kind of awkward. „See you later!"

„Yeah, see you!" Maybe Elena was crazy and out of her mind but it felt like Ric was saying threats. He probably felt that something was different, wrong with her. He will definitely come back to see if she is still alive. _God, why can't she lie better?_

Then she felt Stefan's arms holding her. „You're the worst actress _ever_. I should have just compel him." he smiled acting like a total douchebag, on other hand, being totally bewitching. Elena couldn't resit him. He had her absolutely under his control.

She tried to defense herself by saying „Well, your giggling didn't really help. What if he would hear you?" Elena raised one eyebrow.

„He wouldn't." Stefan said absolutely sure about himself, absolutely charming. Elena felt her heart beating faster and faster. _Damn, how he did it?_

She felt him lifting her up on the table, his cold breath tickling her ear „So what should we do now?" He was seducing her and she had no strength to fight back. She felt his lips meeting hers. Again her skin was on fire. She lost every piece of her spitefulness and just gave into. Who cared if he was seducing her? To be honest she _wanted_ him. _Every time_.

Suddenly Elena was standing in her kitchen alone. Her eyes flew open. Stefan was nowhere to seen. Then she heard doors opening again. It was Alaric.

„Sorry, I forgot my keys." He smiled, but he glanced at her. _Oh God, why Stefan had left her without warning her?_ She probably looked weird. Standing alone in kitchen in robe and with surprised face. God, Alaric definitely _knew_ something.

So Elena simply nodded her head. Hoping that he would get out of her house soon.

„Are you okay? You look so nervous..."

„I'm fine. Just still a bit sleepy."

„Mhm." He nodded giving her and broken vase another glance. Then he finally went outside and Elena could hear his car driving away. _Thank God!_

„Well, you definitely have to forget about actresses career." Stefan was still making fun of her. But she could feel it was good-humored.

So she played with him. „Yeah, definitely I won't be an actress. Do you think he has any idea about what happened?"

„Nah, he just thinks you were so drunk last night that you run into table and broke vase and clock and some other stuff.. and that's why you are so nervous and sneaky." He giggled. This was _fun_.

Stefan was already coming back to her. Elena knew she couldn't risk and be caught standing in kicthen in robe _again_. So she took deep breath and tried to find strength to get away from Stefan. „So yeah, talking about vase.. I should clean it up." Wow, she actually get to pass him. She squat and started to pick up pieces of broken vase still surprised she didn't hear _anything_ last night.

But Stefan took pieces out of her hands and moved her away. „Let me do it since I'm the one who broke them."

Elena got up and simply stood there watching Stefan to pick up pieces. She smiled. As always his first instinct was to _protect_ her. Even from pieces of glass.

Stefan needed about few seconds to clean it up and get rid of broken pieces. He turned around to look at Elena. There she was. Standing in front of him _in robe_. It was a _crime_ for her to just stand there like that _only_ in robe. Stefan bit his lip. God, she was so _alluring_.

Elena couldn't resist Stefan's gaze. She could feel him checking her out. And seeing him bite a lip... That was just too much for her human feelings. She knew that one move from Stefan and she will forget everything and everyone. He had her under his control. He was so damn bewitching. She still couldn't believe he was there. Standing in her kitchen only with pants and shirt on which wasn't button up. _God, Elena, breath! _

She was a bit embarrased because she saw that Stefan could feel her feelings. It was like he could read her mind. And her mind was dirty. „So yeah," Elena started to break off silence and his gaze, „I should get dressed before Ric shows here again..."

Elena didn't even wait for Stefan's answer. She just turned her back and walked, knowing that her desire to get back in his arms was getting stronger and stronger.

But she didn't get to walk a few steps when Stefan's arms were around her and he was tickling her ear whispering „Or not." He kissed her neck, slowly turning down to her back. _Oh God_, Elena felt like she was falling.

But her fear that Ric would show up with a gun was bigger so she somehow got out of Stefan's arms and ran up to her bedroom shouting „I'll be back!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan was leaning against counter when he heard Elena coming back. He looked up and got speechless. _Elena, God, she was a devil_. How dare she wear something like _that_ in front of him?

Elena saw Stefan's face expression and smiled. It was _her_ turn to play with him. When she had gotten away from Stefan for a moment she had decided to use dirty ways how to win him. If he had only been there and made her lose all her manners, she would make him crazy. So Elena had decided to wear red mini dress with lace stockings. Her hair was still curling so she just simply brushed them and let them fall on their own. She decided to wear simple pumps. She thought that with high heels she would look .. more like a slut.

She saw Stefan's reaction, the way she got him speechless. She smiled the most angelic smile she had and turned around asking Stefan „So do you like it?"

„_Like_ is an understatement. You look.. _gorgeous_!" Stefan said still looking at her.

„Time for breakfast!" And before Stefan could make his own move, Elena opended fridge and smiled. In it she saw strawberries and whipped cream. She took them out having the same angelic smile acting like it was something she did every morning. She acted like she was used to eat strawberries with whipped cream _every morning_. She decided to take a seat on counter that was exactly in front of counter Stefan was leaning against. She simply swing her legs making sure that garter of her lace stocking were showing. Elena smiled devilish smile inside of her but she put angelic one upon her face. She was playing perfectly because Stefan couldn't stop gazing at her legs. She was making him _crazy_.

Elena took strawberry and dip it into whipped cream. She ate it making sure some of the whipped cream stays on her lips. Stefan kept his eyes focused on her lips. Elena saw that he was trying to speak. He shook his head before talking. Elena giggled. She always did the same when Stefan was seducing her. It helped to clear her mind.

„Ehmmm.. you.. you have a bit of whipped cream here," Stefan was mumbling, trying to get his mind clear. _Damn, her!_ She was making him weak. _Oh God_, she was a devil. And that angelic smile..

„Oh really?" Elena asked in her most amazed voice she could make. She licked her lips making sure some of the cream still stays on her lips. „Is it okay now?"

„Emmm.. you..," Stefan was trying so hard to get his focus back. „you still have some here." He came to her and with gentle move wiped off cream from Elena's lips. She lick it from his fingers and bite her lip.

She was smiling. She was so happy. Then Stefan stopped her from taking another strawberry and instead kissed her. It wasn't like other kisses before. It was full with _love_. Full with _trust_. Full with calming _peace_.

Stefan bend back to have some air. Elena was gasping. Did they really had kissed _so long_?

„Elena.." Stefan started with sweetness in his voice. Elena looked up at him and her heart melt. He had _that_ look. That old same look he used to have. _The look_ that melted Elena's heart. _The look_ that made her feel calm and protected. _The look_ that made her feel like she was _home_. Elena smiled at him.

„I love you." He simply said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**


	3. Chapter 3

~ The Homecoming ~

Chapter 3

By **MySelflessLove**

Whole world stopped for Elena. _He loved her._ That was all that mattered. She simply leap into his arms. Elena wrapped her legs around Stefan's waist and put her arms around his neck. She was like a koala. And she felt it. She felt Stefan squeezing her. It was like no matter how close they were it was _never_ enough.

When she got back on her own foot, she looked up at Stefan. He had_ that_ look. Suddenly Elena felt like she truly was _home_. Like nothing and no one could now hurt her. She was _protected_. She knew that Stefan would never let anyone hurt her again.

A sudden phone call interrupted their perfect moment. This was weird. Why her purse with phone in it was downstairs? Elena had no idea when she had gotten rid of it last night.. She finally found it. The caller was Caroline. Elena was about to pick up when Stefan snatch her phone out of her hands. „No phones!" and he throw it away. Elena was sure that her phone will be broken, but it landed exactly on sofa in the living room. Of course, _Stefan _didn't need to look, he _knew_ his fling would be accurate.

„Well, that was rude," Elena said smiling.

„Really?" Stefan smiled back „I think calling and interrupting _us_ is rude. Your friends are so unpolite." Stefan was kissing her neck, slowly getting closer to her lips.

„Yeah.. they.. they definitely are unpolite," Elena already had lost stream of thought. _God, he was so good with this. _

But phone didn't stop ringing. After three times Elena was annoyed. _What was so important?_ Stefan could feel her mood so he got her phone and laughed „Maybe it's time to tell your friends that you are still alive." But his eyes filled with sadness. Of course Elena's friends thought that Stefan was able to kill her. He shook his head. He couldn't _bare_ thought of Elena being hurt.

Elena saw look in his eyes and that irritated her even more. She knew what Stefan was thinking. _God, her friends were so annoying. _Elena turned back to her phone.

„Oh my God!" Elena had 12 missed calls from Caroline and 10 from Bonnie and 7 voice mails! Her friends will kill her. Elena jumped when another call appeared. This time she answered. „Hello!"

„OH MY GOD! Elena! Are you okay? Where are you? What happened? Why didn't you answer to any of our calls?" Elena could hear Caroline shouting.

„Hey, Caroline! I'm home and I'm fine. I was .. _busy_ last night." Elena saw Stefan turning around and trying to hold himself. He was laughing. _Right, he could hear their conversation._

„Oh," that stopped Caroline from talking, „ehmm.. that was what we thought .. so .. we didn't drive to your house.. we didn't want to interrupt .. _something_."

Another laugh from Stefan. „Yeah, emm, I'm okay now, so.."

But Caroline already had her voice back. „So what happened between you two? Tell me everything!"

Elena laughed. Was Caroline really thinking that Elena would tell her _anything_ when they were on the phone? When _Stefan_ was still around? Then Elena could hear someone fighting and then it was Bonnie's voice, „Hey! It's me. Bonnie."

„Hey, Bonnie!" Elena was glad that Bonnie was now talking with her. She would never be able to get rid of Caroline.

„Are you _okay_, Elena?" Bonnie's voice was suspicious. She didn't like all this thing. She didn't trust Stefan.

„Yeah, Bonnie, I'm okay." Elena replied. She knew this is going to be _hard_. To convince _Bonnie_ to trust Stefan again.

„I want to see you. Only _then_ I'll believe you." Bonnie's voice was deadly serious. She knew Stefan was probably there, listening to every word. He better run away, if he had hurt Elena, because she'll kick his ass. „Lunch. 2 a.m.!"

Elena knew that any kind of protest would only make things worse so she simply replied „Lunch. 2 am." And Bonnie was gone. Elena took deep breath. This is going to be hard, very, very hard. Especially with Bonnie.

„So I guess, I should leave now.." Stefan began. He _should_ go home. Change in some more casual outfit. But only a thought of _leaving_ Elena, even if it would be for few hours, _hurt_ him. He wanted to _stay_ here. He didn't care what they would do. He just wanted to be with her. Near here. He wanted to hold her. He wanted _her_ to hold him.

Thought of Stefan leaving caused panic in Elena. She tried to calm down. It was just for few hours. He will come back. But Elena couldn't help herself. All these months of _loneliness_, all the _sadness_ and _depression_. _Darkness_ was coming after her. It felt like it was already pulling her back in loneliness. It scared her so much, this feeling, that she started to cry. _One_, _two_, _three_ silent tears drop. But there he was. Holding her, comforting her. He was whispering something in her ear, but Elena didn't listen. She squeezed him. She will _never_ let him go again.

How could Stefan leave now? _It hurt him_. It hurt him so much to see his angel crying. And all this was because of _him_. If only he would have _stayed_.

Time passed. They had no idea how long they have been standing like that. Holding each other. Elena took another deep breath. She had time to think about this and realize how silly she was. First of all, Stefan _was_ coming back. Second, she _had_ to meet her friends. She _had_ to show them that she was alive and fine. After all, Stefan had to change his outfit. How long he could run around only in shirt and pants? Though Elena had _nothing_ against him looking like _this_.

Stefan could feel Elena's mood going back to joyful. He looked at her. She was giggling. „What?" he asked with smile upon his face.

„Nothing." Elena giggled and bite her lip. She was feeling so extremely silly. Like some lame teenage girl giggling about boy in shirt and pants.

„You don't like my outfit?" Stefan said with smirk on his face.

_For God's sake, did he read her mind?_ Elena was embarrassed. Couldn't she stop thinking about _him_ for one split second? _Seriously, what was wrong with her?_

To get back her focus Elena looked up at clock. It was 1.30 a.m. She better start to get ready otherwise Caroline and Bonnie will show up here, probably dragging Alaric with gun along. „I think it's time for me to get ready. You know, if I will be late for one minute.."

„Your friends will come here. With guns." Stefan laughed. „I should go home too. But don't you worry, Elena, I _will_ come back!"

„I know, I know." Elena nodded. „Just come back to me ASAP, okay?"

„Okay, my angel." And Stefan kissed her. No matter how many times they had already kissed, every _kiss_, every _hug_, every _touch_ still made him lose his mind. After months of missing her, everything was like for the first time. It was kind of first time, because.. he was different now. Stronger. Still full with humans blood. Everything was intense. All the feelings were heightened. What scared Stefan was that not only _love_, but also _anger_ was stronger. Stefan was scared that he could lose control around Elena. He could never let himself lose control around her. Not when he was angry.

He let her go. They both were craving for air. He hugged her for one last time before leaving. „Goodbye!"

Elena stayed to watch him go outside. She smiled touching her lips. She has never been so _happy_ than now.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan could feel Elena's gaze at his back. But he hold himself from looking back. That would only make things worse.

Only then Stefan remembered _how_ they have gotten to Elena's home _last night_. In his _car_. He laughed. His car was standing on forecourt. Alaric _must_ have seen it.Otherwise he must be blind.

_Good old Alaric has been so nice and let Elena skip this shame. So the thing with keys was only to make sure Stefan hasn't done anything bad._ He laughed again. _He should thank Ric for this later. _But Stefan thought it would be better not to tell _Elena_ about it. She would be so ashamed.

Stefan entered the boarding house hoping that Damon would be out. The last thing he needed was for his brother to damp his spirits. But he could here Damon. _Damn it!_

Stefan ignored Damon, who was sitting in the living room, and moved straight to the stairs. But, of course, Damon wouldn't let Stefan just go away.

„So my little brother is back from party. What this time? Oh no, let me guess! Strippers? Oh no, tux is too classy for strippers. Or maybe you destroyed another bar? Hmm, nope, again tux is too classy. Hmm.. so my final answer is that you were ripping apart some poor high school student. Am I right?" Damon just _loved_ this game. He took another sip. Mmm, his favorite scotch and teasing his baby brother. This is going to be _epic_.

But Stefan wasn't listening. He knew Damon's intent. All he wanted was to make him angry. But right now, after _last night_, nothing could make him angry. So Stefan ignored Damon's remarks and kept walking.

When Damon saw that Stefan won't rise to the bait, he decided to go harsh on him. Stefan had one weak point. _Elena_. „I'm just curious, little brother. Does_ Elena _knows you are sleeping with other girls?" Damon smirked. He already saw Stefan stopping. This is going to be _fun_.

Stefan slowly turned around. He didn't wanted to say _anything_. But when he saw smirk on Damon's face... Stefan smiled back and slowly, highlighting _every_ word, answered „ I've been sleeping with _her_." And Stefan simply walked away. He could hear Damon swallowing scotch.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was still leaning against counter, remembering morning's actions when doors swung open.

It was Damon. He was angry. Very, very angry. He roughly pulled Elena's arm and screamed „Are you out of your mind?"

Elena was trying to get out of his hold, but he was stronger. So she just screamed back. „What is wrong with you? Let me go!"

„What is wrong with _me_? Are you kidding me? What the hell you were thinking when you decided to sleep with my brother?"

„What? How do you even know..? And this is not any of _your_ business! I said LET ME GO, Damon!"

„You're insane! And not any of _my_ business? Hell this _is_ my business! What you were thinking? Did you want him to rip you apart while you are sleeping?"

Elena slapped him. „How dare you talk about your own brother like that?" Elena shouted.

That made Damon even more angry. He grabbed Elena's other hand. „Maybe _you_ should start to realize that Stefan is not the old sweet puny creature anymore. He is a Ripper!"

„Maybe _you_ should realize that he has changed! And you should stop torture him with your immature remarks!"

„_Changed_? Who are you trying to fool, Elena? He's a Ripper now!"

Elena could see that Damon won't even listen to her and honestly the last thing she wanted was to tell him _why_ she thinks that he has changed. After everything that has happened last night and this morning, Elena was sure that Stefan has changed. So Elena tried to calm down. Also Damon's hold was hurting her. „Damon.. you're hurting me!"

But Damon wasn't even listening. He couldn't _believe_ Elena was going in her death so easily. „Do you even understand that you're signing death-sentence for yourself?"

Pain that Damon's hold was causing was starting to get excruciating. „Damon, just let me go!"

„Let. Her. Go. Before I rip _your_ head off!" Deep and icy voice came from Elena's back. It was Stefan.

„Oh, _the saviour_ is here!" Damon shouted with an aversion in his voice. But he let Elena go. He knew that Stefan was stronger than him. And he was _angry_.

Stefan_ wanted_ to rip Damon's head off. For what he has done to Elena. But more important than making Damon pay was to make sure that _Elena_ wasn't hurt. So he embraced her examining her arms. „Are you okay?"

Elena could feel ice jam between the brothers. She was scared that the fight could blow up any minute so she simply nodded her head whispering „Yeah.. yeah, I'm fine."

But Damon wouldn't stop. With loathing in his voice he shouted „So the two _love birds _have found their way back, huh? So since you two are sharing sheets, maybe you should also share your secrets, huh? Oh! Stefan hasn't told you about the way he_ loves _to leave girls your age after he has finished drinking their blood? And Stefan, do you know how much _fun_ me and Elena had while you were gone?"

„Shut up, Damon!" Elena shout.

„Or what?" he defied.

„Or I will _rip out_ your tongue!" Stefan yelled.

Damon looked at Stefan. He was deadly serious and Damon was already pissed off. Then he looked at Elena and smiled. These two will have _a lot_ to talk about without him meddling in. So Damon raised his hands in air as in surrender and walked away.

Stefan followed Damon's back. When he was sure that Damon was gone he turned back to Elena. Her arms were swollen. Damon _will_ pay for this. „Here, put some ice on them."

„Thank you." Elena didn't know where to start. How could she tell Stefan about it _now_? He would never understand. Elena knew she _had_ to tell him, but she was scared that he would be _hurt_, that he would _leave_ her.

„Damon's right! I_ should_ tell you about what I have done." Stefan hated this. He was sure that after telling everything to Elena, she will hate him. She will be scared. Or worst. She will feel disgust against him. But Stefan couldn't keep this to him. He _had _to tell her.

„So after Klaus made me follow him as exchange for his blood that was cure for Damon, I started to drink human blood." Stefan started. For once he _had_ to tell her. Even if it would mean losing her.

Elena took deep breath. She could feel that Stefan was ready to tell her _everything_. And she was glad, because she had to know these things. She concentrated to make sure she doesn't miss out a word.

„Klaus was looking for werewolves. Not only for one, but for whole pack. And that was _good_, because that meant that he would stay the hell away from Mystic Falls, away from _you_..I followed him, making sure he has no second thoughts about looking for them. I kept saying to him that he _needs_ to find them. And we were going far away from Mystic Falls. Oh God, Elena, you _can't_ imagine how much it hurt me. Every kilometre, that took me farther away from _you_, was like a stab in my heart. But I knew that I _had_ to do this. I had to keep Klaus away from you as far as possible, so _you_, so you _my angel_, would have a chance to live normal life. So you could go to university. Find someone that would be _good_ for you. Marry him. Have a kids. Have a life. And I had to make sure Klaus doesn't notice my true intent. So I become a Ripper. I killed. I _murdered_ a lot of girls. Young girls, your age.. Every victim I choose, every young girl, I made them scream in fear. Sometimes Klaus made me kill some girl. But mostly I could_ choose_ myself. I choose blonde and ginger, with blue and green eyes. But never with brown hair and brown eyes. I just.. I couldn't.. I couldn't kill any girl that would remind me of you. Huh.." Stefan laughed sadly, „Though _none_ of the girl could compete with _you_, with your beauty, I still couldn't kill girls with brown hair and brown eyes. Soon Klaus noticed that and sometimes he killed a girl with brown hair and dark brown eyes in front of me just to torture me.. Huh, as stupid as it will sound, sometimes I thought Klaus felt kind of guilty that he took you away from me. Because he never asked, he never talked about it. Anyway, soon we found where the pack was hiding. Tennessee." Stefan stopped here. To see Elena's face.

Elena's mind was racing. But she looked up at Stefan and gave him smile. Not happy one, but smile that would encourage him to continue. Also _she_ had memories from Tennessee. It was where they have been looking for Stefan.

Elena's smile helped Stefan. He took a deep breath and continued. „By the time I and Klaus were in Tennesse it was impossible to stand him. I didn't wanted to talk to him, all I wanted was to drive stake through his heart. But I couldn't, I _had_ to act like I'm on his side. We found pack and we already had Ray. Klaus was_ thrilled_ to make hybrids. Somehow Ray ran away. I had to track him and bring back. I concentrated my hearing and then I heard _you_. I was stunned. _Your_ voice was like a magnet to me. And then I saw _you_. You, Damon and Alaric were all tracking me. When I saw you.. Elena..I.. I couldn't.. It was like whole world would stop spinning. It was only _you_. You were angry, no, pissed off that Damon and Alaric wanted to go home. All I wanted was to call _your_ name, to have _your_ eyes looking at mine, to hear _your_ voice, to feel _your_ arms around me. But there was another name in my mind. _Klaus_. I knew that if he would find you, all this time apart, all the killing, everything would be waste. So turned away and went back to tracking Ray. It was already getting dark when I found Damon fighting with Ray..."

„Damon _knew_ that you were there? He _saw_ you?" Elena cut off Stefan. _How dare Damon hide this from her?_

„Yeah, we talked, but don't blame him. I made him promise that he wouldn't tell anything. After that I went back to camp. Klasu had already found out that transition wasn't going as planned. In the middle of it they all died. He was angry. He started to call all the things he had done to break the curse. When he said „I killed doppleganger" I lost all the hope. I thought that he will see my face, read from it that you were still alive and everything would be done. I was glad that Ray had bite me, because that would mean I would die slowly, in pain. I deserved it since I thought I had _failed_ _you_. Failed myself..." Stefan sigh.

Elena was trembling. _Ray bite me_. She couldn't stand that Stefan had been so close to death and no one would be there for him. Elena shook her head. _No,_ Stefan was okay and he was here, with her. _Safe_.

„Klaus decided to visit Chicago to see an old witch that would tell him the problem, why he couldn't make hybrids. I was glad. Another few days to figure out how to hide that you are still alive. By the time we were in Chicago I had closed my heart. At least I thought so. But then _you_ were there again. In my old apartment, in secret closet. _You_ were there _smiling_ at me, _looking_ at me. My heart was racing. I couldn't stand the distance between us. All I wanted was to _run_ to you. To _kiss_ you. But I also couldn't stand the idea that you were in same room with _monsters_. So once again I turned my back on you and walked away. I had to make sure Klaus has no idea you are here. We went to the bar I used to go when I lived in Chicago in 1920's. I tried to sidetrack Klaus's attention when I saw Damon. I went outside to make sure he gets you the hell away from there..." Stefan stopped. Memories were too painful. He closed his eyes and memories flashed.

Elena was crying. Slowly and silently tears were coming down her cheeks. She remembered too. Her memories were painful. But when she finally understood, when she realized Stefan's pain.. Hers seemed to be nothing. Elena was ready to live it all again, if only she could take some of the pain from Stefan. It _hurt_ her to see _him_ so _hurt_.

„And then you were there. Standing with a expression on your face that killed me inside. I didn't even control myself. I just.. I just felt that I was going closer to you. But I set myself to rights. Elena, I.. it killed me inside that I had to tell you all those terrible things. All I cared was.. to get _you home_, to get _you safe_.. so I put an icy tone in my voice and told you that I didn't wanted you. And you believed me! You believed me so easily! That hurt me even more..." Stefan's voice now broke off.

Tears were coming and coming. Elena didn't even _try _to shrug them off. She just let the tears to come out... And Stefan was crying too. But somehow he manage to continue. He still had to say so many things..

„Klaus's witch found out about you having the necklace, but luckily for me, she had her own plans, so she didn't tell Klaus about you. I thought I could fight her, but, damn, she was too smart. She torture me to get information about you. Huh, she thought that _I_ would tell her.. When she saw I won't tell her a thing, she got in my mind, got in my memories. And then Katherine came around. She basically saved me. She wanted me to be her _partner in crime._I didn't had time for games. So I guess she came here..."

As ridiculous as it was, Elena felt jealousy. _Katherine_ had saved him. Elena shook her head and realized that Stefan had already began to continue his story.

„..After that Klaus realized I had been fooling him around this whole time so he drag me back to Mystic Falls. The rest you know.." Stefan whispered.

„He compelled you.. to _bite_ me..." but Elena couldn't continue. Her voice broke off.

„No, he didn't.." Stefan whispered slowly turning his eyes to Elena. He saw surprised and shocked expression in them.

„But.. I saw it! I _saw_ how Klaus tried to compel you but you fought back.. and.. and then he won."

„No, Elena. Klaus never compelled me. I was desperate when I saw you. All I could think of was that if Klaus will think that he compelled me.. if I would just bite you .. then he would let me go. He would leave me since he had a lot of things to deal with."

Elena couldn't believe her ears. Stefan had bite her on his _own_ will.. He had _fought_ back Klaus. He had _won_. And yet he had bite her..

„_Elena_," but expression on her face killed Stefan inside. He was sure that Elena _hated_ him now. „Elena, I am _so_ sorry for what I did to you! I am so sorry that I put you through all of this! I know that _nothing_ I would say, _nothing_ I would do would ever make it easier, but I am just .. I am _so_ sorry for everything!" Stefan hold back tears and said one more thing. „I know that I can't justify myself, all the killing I have done, all the pain I have caused, but I swear, all I ever did was to _protect_ you! All I ever wanted was to give _you_ a _chance_ to live. And.. I don't expect you to ever look in my eyes again, to ever_ love_ me again. I just want you to know, that I am so sorry! I'll _never_ forgive myself for what I did to you!"

Elena looked into his eyes. How could he think that she could ever hate him? After everything he had done to protect her.. All _she_ wanted was to extinguish the pain, the hate Stefan had. „Stefan.. thank you! Thank you for being honest with me! I had to know these things."

Stefan was crying, „Yeah, yeah.." This was the end. The goodbye. He could feel it. In a moment Elena will tell that she is grateful, but that she _can't_ forgive him, that she _can't_ love him, that all she can do is to _hate_ him.

„Stefan.. _I_ _needed_ to hear these things and _you_ _needed_ to tell me them, so _I_ could _help you_. So _together_ we could get through this. _Stefan_, Stefan, shhh, look at me! _I love you_! Do you hear me? I love you! I will help you get through this! _Together_ we will get through this." Elena cup Stefan's face.

„How can you do this? How can you still do this?"

„Do what?"

„Hear all these things and still look at me the same?"

„Because I love you. I love _so _much that all _I want_ to do is take your pain away."

„I love you too. _Elena_, I have _always_ loved you. And I _will always_ do. Till my last breath."

„_Come here_! Come!" Elena embraced Stefan. They were just holding each other. They just let tears to come down. Nothing mattered, but that two of them were together. Stefan and Elena.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan and Elena were just standing there, in Elena's kitchen. Holding each other. But then doors swung open and Caroline and Bonnie, both shouting Elena's name, blow in. Elena jumped from her friends's sudden entrance.

But not only Elena and Stefan were suprised, also Caroline and Bonnie were confused. They came here, thinking that Stefan has probably done something to Elena since she didn't show up for lunch. They were surprised to find them.. hugging in the kitchen. Caroline felt guilty for their bad thoughts of Stefan so she tried to make it up. „Oh... we... I and Bonnie.. we just.. we were worried about you Elena.. you know, you never showed up for lunch. We thought maybe something has happened to you .. we .."

„We just wanted to check that _you_," Bonnie was interrupting and clearly talking to Stefan, „haven't done anything to Elena." Then she saw Elena's arms. _That son of a bitch_! „What have you done!" Bonnie was shouting. Stefan will die, if he had done _this_ to Elena.

„Bonnie, calm down! I'm fine.." Elena was trying to explain that this was _not_ the way it looked like.

Stefan without thinking squeezed Elena even closer. It was his instinct to protect her. Even though he should _now_ be thinking of protecting himself.

Seeing Stefan pulling Elena closer to him, well, _that_ made Bonnie even more angry. „Let her go, you son of a bitch! What have you done?"

„Bonnie, I think it would be better if you would calm down.." Caroline was trying to think clearly. Stefan was dangerous now. They _had_ to protect Elena, but Bonnie shouldn't talk to Stefan like this _now_, when he was stronger than ever..

„Oh hell no! I don't care that you would kill me! I won't let you touch her ever again!" Bonnie was ready to do _whatever_ it takes to get Stefan away from Elena.

Elena knew that Stefan won't defend himself, he knew what her friends, that used to be also _his_ friends, thought about him now. Elena knew that she had to explain a lot of things to Caroline and Bonnie. „Bonnie, listen to me! I'm fine! Stefan didn't do it. Damon came here, he was all angry and so yeah he kind of attacked me. But it's all okay. _I'm fine_."

Stefan ignored Caroline and Bonnie's angry gaze whenever he moved. He turned to Elena and said „I'll let you three talk, okay?"

Elena was irritated. First of all, her friends came here, blaming _Stefan_ for things he hasn't even done. And now Stefan felt guilty and wanted to leave. _Oh, she will have the hell of the talk with her friends!_

Stefan smiled to calm Elena down. He knew that Elena was angry that her friends acted like this. But what else she has expected? That they will trust him? After _everything_ he has done? It was surprise that they hadn't already killed him. So Stefan kissed Elena on forehead and walked outside, giving smile to Caroline and Bonnie. Caroline smiled back, but Bonnie only gazed at him. This is going to complicated.

After Bonnie had made sure Stefan was gone, she stared at Elena raising her eyebrow „Would you like to explain us what the hell is wrong with you?"

The tone in Bonnie's voice annoyed her. She had the same tone _Damon_ had when he had came here to attack her. „Maybe _you_ would like to explain what the hell is wrong with _you_?" Elena imitated Bonnie voice.

Caroline saw both girls staring at each other with deadly serious looks. She tried to warm the atmosphere up. „Elena.. I and Bonnie, we were just worried about you. What did you expect us to think when you didn't show up in lunch without calling or giving any message that you are okay? I guess, we were wrong about Stefan. We are sorry! _Both_ of us!" And she gave Bonnie the look.

„Well as you _see_, I'm fine. I'm better than fine." But Elena was still angry.

Bonnie, still full with doubts, was examining Elena's arms with gaze, „What happened to your arms then?"

„As I said, _Damon_ showed up. He was angry that I and Stefan had spend time together and actually if it wouldn't be _Stefan_, Damon would probably hurt me even more. So stop this stupid examining and think of how you will apologize to Stefan."

„_Apologize_ to Stefan? Are you kidding me?" Bonnie was still suspicious and angry. Stefan had probably fooled Elena. She was weak around him and he had used that. God, after all these months, all this pain, he had caused, _he_ should be the one apologizing, not her.

„For God's sake, stop this, Bonnie! I and Stefan, we have talked and you have _no idea_ what Stefan has done for me. So stop with this attitude! He won't hurt me. He is _good_."

„Good? Are you blind, Elena? He is a Ripper! He has killed people. He is a monster! You can't trust him!"

„Get out of here!" This was it! No one could say such a bad things about Stefan! God, no one them knew what Stefan had been through. They had no right to judge him.

„Excuse me?" That shocked Bonnie. Elena was really out of her mind. Stefan had probably compelled her.

„I said get out!" Elena could feel tears coming out. She hated that her friends acted like this. But she won't let _anyone_ hurt Stefan. „You have no rights to call him a monster! You don't know _anything_ and yet you judge him! How dare you?"

„Okay, I think you _two_ are overacting. Let's just calm down and _talk_, okay?" Caroline was worried. Though she kind of agreed with Bonnie, that Elena was trusting Stefan too easily, Bonnie was too harsh on him.

„I have _nothing_ to talk with people who call their friend a _monster_!" Elena snapped back.

Caroline bite her lip. This is going to be hard. She hated that her best friends, that were best friends with each other, fought like this. But she felt that it was better for Bonnie and her go now. They both, Bonnie and Elena, needed to calm down. And Caroline believed Elena. Somehow she believed that Stefan wanted to protect Elena. So she grabbed Bonnie and said „Hey, Bonnie, let's go!"

Bonnie was still in shock after Elena had ordered them to leave. She sigh, _this_, this was not them. They used to talk things out. Used to trust each other. She knew Caroline was right. They had to leave Elena. And Bonnie herself needed to calm down. So she simply turned around and followed Caroline outside.

Elena was angry. _How dare her friends say something like this about Stefan_? Elena was _so_ pissed at her friends that she felt like screaming. _A monster. A ripper_. How dare they?

But Elena let sigh out when she felt _his_ arms around her. „I'm so sorry! You shouldn't have fought with your friends because of me!" Stefan whispered.

„They deserved it! How much did you heard?" Elena couldn't stand the idea about Stefan hearing all those terrible things about him. He _wasn't_ like that, but yet he had always thought like that about himself. _Self-loathing_ was one of the Stefan's things that Elean hated the most, that she wanted to _exterminate_.

„Don't worry about it! It's only understandable that they don't trust me. Did you expect it otherwise? After everything I have done, I will need plenty of time and efforts to make them trust me again."

Elena hugged him. She didn't care if whole world would be against Stefan. She will always be on his side. She will _always_ support him.


	4. Chapter 4

~ The Homecoming ~

Chapter 4

By **MySelflessLove**

Elena cuddle Stefan. It's been while but she still did it. Made sure that Stefan is still here with her. And that all this is not a dream. Elena just _loved_ this feeling when Stefan was squeezing back. They were lying in bed in Elena's bedroom doing nothing, but just enjoying time together. Sun was shining on them from the open window and Stefan was playing with sunbeams on Elena's shoulder. She was in heaven. Elena smiled and embraced Stefan. She heard Stefan chuckle and she felt him embracing her too. He was definitely enjoying this too.

Elena's mobile phone was buzzing. Again. Caroline and Bonnie have been calling Elena ever since their _visit_. But Elena never answered, never checked million voice mails they left, no, she just deleted them. She won't forgive them so easily.

„Okay, this has to end!" Stefan said, getting up and leaving Elena lying in the bed by herself.

„Hey!" Elena hugged Stefan. She was definitely not okay with Stefan moving any millimeter away from her.

„Elena.." It was hard for Stefan not to agree on everything Elena wanted when she was acting like this. But he knew this must end. „You have been avoiding your _best_ friends for 3 days already! I can't keep looking at this since I'm the obstacle here. You _have_ to call them. You _have_ to talk to them!"

„I'm not avoiding them!" Elena shouted. Stefan raised his eyebrow. „I just don't want to talk to people who are judgmental and whose manners are terrible."

Stefan laughed. „_Who are judgmental and whose manners are terrible_? Are you serious? When did you came up with this subterfuge?"

„That's not a subterfuge!"

„Oh, really? So for last 18 years their _terrible _manners were all right, just now you _suddenly_ woke up and realized your friends are uncultured?" Stefan laughed again. Elena was unbelievable.

„That's right. I can't believe I have spend my entire life with such an uncultured people! And, _by the way_, you're not an obstacle!"

„Argh! C'mon, Elena! You fought with them because of _me_, in the first place, and you've been avoiding them for 3 days now!"

„I'm not avoiding them!" Elena was now defending herself. Up to _who_? Up to _Stefan_? This all was because of her friends. _God, they were still disturbing them_!

„So why don't you answer their calls? And voice mails? And messages?" Stefan didn't want to fight with Elena, but he hated that she was in this situation with her best friends because of him. „C'mon, Elena.. Give them at least a chance. Maybe they want to apologize." He rubbed her arm.

„I don't care. I don't want to see them!" But Elena was starting to lose her spiteful decision not to talk with her friends. Honestly, she missed them, but she was also _so_ angry with them, especially with Bonnie, for calling Stefan a monster, a ripper.

„You miss them..I can see it in your face. You're not happy."

„Stefan! Of course I'm happy! I've never been happier! _You_ make me happy, never forget that!" And she hugged him.

„You know what I mean. I know that you're happy _now_, with me, but you also miss your friends. And that's totally okay." Stefan smiled to encourage her. „Just give them a chance! Just talk to them! For me..Please?"

_God_, Elena couldn't say no to _him_. After all, Stefan was right. She did missed her friends and nothing bad would happen if she would just hear them out. „Okay! For you.."

In that moment, her phone buzzed again. „See? This is fate." And Stefan hand over her phone. „Just be nice!" and he stand up to leave room. Stefan might not be able to help himself with _hearing_ conversation, but at least he wanted to give Elena some privacy.

Elena let out sigh and picked up „Hello!"

The speaker was Caroline. She sigh too and started slowly, worried to piss off Elena again. „Hey, it's me Caroline."

„Yeah, I guessed that from your zillion phone calls and messages." Elena was still so annoyed.

„Ehmm, sorry for that. It's just .. that me and Bonnie.. We miss you. We want to talk and.."

But Elena cut off Caroline, muttering „Fine, then talk!"

„We wanted.. emm.. we thought we could meet up for lunch today..."

„Well, I can't. I'm busy!" Elena was back to her stubborn mode. She was still pissed off and only thinking about meeting with them was upsetting.

Suddenly Stefan was there, snatching phone out of her arms. „Hey, Caroline! It's me Stefan. She is going to be there. 2 am?"

„Stefan.. hey! Emm.. I.. We.. we are sorry for what we said.."

„Don't worry about that! So where Elena has to meet you guys?"

„Hey! Give back my phone!" Elena was shouting but clearly Stefan was ignoring her.

„2 am would be nice and my house, I guess. Thank you for this! And try not to be killed by her."

Stefan giggled. „I'll try. Wish me luck!" He closed Elena's phone and turned back to Elena. She was angry. No, pissed off. He laughed.

„Eavesdropping much?" Elena shouted, raising her eyebrow.

„Rude much?" Stefan replied, raising eyebrow.

Elena laughed. Stefan was so good with imitating her. „I don't want to fight you."

„Me neither, but you need to talk to your friends. I don't want you to fight with them because of me. Okay? Let's go, I'll drive you to Caroline's."

Elena sigh. „Okay. But I'm doing this _only_ for _you_."

„And I'm very grateful for that." He smiled to her. _God, his smile always made her skip a heartbeat. _

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

They were outside Caroline's house. Elena sigh. Now she was kind of scared. She didn't want to face her friends after all the terrible things they had said.. after all the terrible things _she_ had said.

Stefan rubbed her shoulder. „It's going to be okay."

„If you say so." But Elena wasn't sure if she was pissed or scared.

„See you later!" And Stefan lean to kiss her.

Of course, as always their simple goodbye kiss turned out to be 5 minute long make out session. They were craving for air. And _Stefan_ wanted Elena to go talk to her friends after kiss like _this_? She shook her head to think clear. „I'll _definitely_ going to see you later!"

Stefan giggled while Elena got out of the car. He stayed to make sure she goes inside the house instead of running away. Elena turned back and Stefan smiled to encourage her. He giggled one more time before driving away.

Elena knocked and took a deep breath when she heard Caroline coming.

„Elena! Hey! I'm so glad you came!" Seeing Caroline's smiling face, Elena felt a bit guilty. Stefan was right. She _has_ been avoiding them.

„So Bonnie and I, we were just lying in my bedroom, reading magazines and drinking coffee, you know, like we always do."

Yeah, right. Elena used to be part of this. When she stepped into Caroline's bedroom, she felt stab in her heart. There was Bonnie, looking up at her with gentle smile. „Hey, Elena.."

Caroline felt like she has to leave these two to talks so she just said „I'll go make coffee for you. You two can.. just talk." And she was gone.

„Hey.." Elena whispered. She felt uncomfortable. Like she was.. superfluous. After everything she had said to Bonnie...

„Elena.. I am so sorry! You were absolutely right! I had no right to judge Stefan without knowing anything. I'm so sorry!"

„Well..I was so effin angry with you. All those things you said about him.. I just.. But I'm sorry too! The way I acted, the way I talked.. All those terrible things I said to you, I'm sorry!"

Bonnie smiled. „All forgotten!"

Elena smiled back. „All forgotten!"

„Aww, I'm so glad you two finally talked this through!" Caroline was smiling too. She was so happy to see her friends finally back to the way they were. „Group hug?"

Elena and Bonnie exchanged looks and burst out laughing. „Group hug."

After they had hugged, they just sat in Caroline's bed. Caroline was the first one who talked. „So Elena..You and Stefan.. You're like back together?"

Elena smiled. She and Stefan. How good it sounded. „Emm..Yeah, we're back together or at least we're in process of finding our way back to each other.." Though they were together _all_ the time, Elena knew they still had a lot of things to talk about, a lot to go through, a lot to do.

Bonnie as always was direct. „Have you told Stefan about what happened between you and Damon?"

Elena sigh. This was the scary part. She wanted to tell Stefan _so badly_, but she didn't want to hurt him, to upset him. „No."

„Elena! Stefan deserves to know!" Caroline said.

„I know, I know! And I want to tell him, I want him to know, but.. it's just.."

„You're scared.." Again Bonnie was direct.

„Yes. I guess so. But I'm not scared from _Stefan_.. or what he would do to me if he will find out. I'm scared that it'll hurt him. That he'll hate me.." Elena's voice broke off. Only a thought of Stefan hating her was unbearable.

„Well lying to him is not better. You have to tell him." Caroline rubbed Elena's arm.

„I know. Because I _hate_ to lie to him. And I hate that _Damon_ has it over my head. I want Stefan to find out this _from_ _me_ and not from Damon in some kind of sick and dirty way."

„Are you gonna tell him soon?"

„I think we'll have to cancel our lunch, because I _need_ to tell him _now_. But we can meet tomorrow."

„Elena, just.. be careful.." Bonnie was worried that this would upset Stefan way too much.

„Bonnie, Stefan is not going to hurt me!" _At least not in physical way_, Elena thought.

„I know. I just think you should be careful. Try not to upset him way too much. You know, he has been.. You can make him angry faster now than before."

Elena sigh. „Okay! I'll go now guys. I just.. I really need to tell him this and we can meet tomorrow."

„Okay!" Both, Caroline and Bonnie, hugged her and Caroline added „Wish you luck!"

„Yeah, thanks! I'll need it!" And Elena smiled. When she got out of Caroline's house, she took a deep breath and put away her fake smile. She was scared. She _wanted_ and she _needed_ to tell him the truth, but she was just so scared that Stefan will hate her.

Instead of going straight to boarding house, Elena decided to take a walk around the city. She just needed some time to get brave. So she simply walked. And all she could see was couples. Different couples. There was old couple sitting on the bench. Elena smiled. They looked so sweet. So old but still together. And then there were Jamie and Sally. Elena was surprised. When did they get together? But then she saw another couple. The girl was sitting on the bench next to the boy, but.. You could see that there was _huge_ distance between them. You could see that they both _loved_ each other, but at the same time there was this huge distance, probably some issue they were not able to solve. Elena shivered. Are she and Stefan going to be like _that_? She bite her lip. No, she won't let _this_ happen to _them_. She is going to tell Stefan everything _right now_. Elena took a deep breath and turned back to go to the boarding house.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was standing outside the boarding house. She took deep breath before entering.

It seemed like no one was downstairs, so she simply shouted „Stefan?"

Deep but a bit different voice came behind her. „Better. Me." Damon. Ugh. Elena did not wanted to deal with him now.

„Is Stefan home?"

„Nope." Damon smirked.

„Do you know where he is or when he will be home?"

„Don't know. Don't care." Damon was kind of pissed. For the last time and because Elena _always_ wanted Stefan.

„Could you _please_ tell him that I stopped by?" Also Elena was pissed. Damon was annoying.

„Hmmm..Why would I do that?"

Elena rolled her eyes. Damon was acting like a child. And she had no time or patience to play with him.

Damon saw that Elena was pissed off and nervous. Pissed off obviously because of him, but nervous..Oh, he got it. „So you came here to tell _Stefan_ about our little secret?" He saw Elena's face and smirked. _Jackpot. _„Are you sure you want to tell him this _now_? You know, paradise will be destroyed." He heard Stefan coming home. Oh yes, this is going to be _fun_. Very, very much fun.

„Tell me what?" Stefan said behind Elena's back. His voice was so deep and angry. Elena flinched. Obviously Stefan was pissed at his brother already and now..

„Ohhh, brother. My dear little brother. I and Elena.. We just felt _so_ bad that we have been keeping this from you. Ahh, Elena, should I tell him or you will?" Damon was clearly enjoying this. He smirked. Soon these two love birds are going to be angry birds.

„Shut up, Damon!" Elena shouted, but she swear to herself. This was mistake because Stefan clearly got that_ something_ has happened between his brother and Elena.

„What is it?" Stefan shouted. He was already mad. If Damon was in all this, it's going to be bad.

„How to say..We kissed, _brother_." Damon was cheery. This is going to be an epic night.

Elena sigh. This was not the way she wanted Stefan to find out. And Damon's voice made it all worse. When he said it, it sounded like something dirty and bad. „Stefan.." But Elena couldn't continue. She saw Stefan's eyes. He was... Mad. Upset. Hurt. Angry. _Disappointed_.

„WHAT?" Stefan was now screaming.

„Oh you know.. Elena is so.. so _sweet_. Like a bonbon." Damon licked his lips and smirked.

The next thing Elena saw was flying Damon. He ram into wall-unit smashing lamp and glass. He got up kneading his jaw. „Uff..So I guess I'll leave you two now to have a little conversation." He blinked and smirked to Elena who was still in shock from all this.

When Elena got back to reality she saw Stefan slowly turning his back on her and staring at the fire. She wanted to hug him, to tell him that it meant nothing and that she is so sorry, but she saw Stefan's eyes. This was worst than Stefan hating her. Stefan was _disappointed_ at her. She tried to hold back her tears and whispered. „_Stefan_.."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Damon entered Mystic Grill with huge smirk on his face. He got his seat at the bar. „One, no double scotch!" And he blinked to pretty waitress. Damon was in such a good mood.

Waitress lost stream of thoughts. He was like _so_ hot and _flirting_ with her. „Any celebration tonight, Mr Salvatore?"

„Mmmm.. Definitely!" He smiled back. It was way too easy. These kind of girls were so cheesy. Yeah, she was pretty, but uneducated since she was working at _bar_. Probably she was some kind of Miss Everything back in high school, but now... Just failing in real life. Damon wanted something better, something worth struggle.

„So _anything_ else you might want, Mr Salvatore?" the girl, Amber as Damon read it from her note said, was getting annoying, so Damon decided to simply compel her. „No, it's all. Now leave!" He was polite since he had such a good mood tonight.

Amber left to serve for others. Damon drank his scotch, but he was getting bored. All the people, all the _girls_ in this bar were so cheesy. No one would be good enough for his _victory night_.

But then Damon saw _her_. He smirked. He knew that this is going to be a _challenge_, but he liked it.

Bonnie was passing by Damon _ignoring_ him since she couldn't stand this jerk. All she needed was to get her order and leave to watch movie with Caroline. But, for God's sake, waitress told her that she needs to wait few minutes to get order. Of course, _only_ seat left free was next to him. No, she won't sit with him. She will better stand, no matter how long order would take.

„Bonnie..Nice to see you! Have a drink with me?" Damon smiled. He could feel Bonnie's hate against him. This _is_ going to be a _challenge_.

„Damon!" Bonnie smiled her most sarcastic smile. „I'd better jump in front of car, then have a drink with _you_. But _thanks_!"

Damon bite his lip. This is going to be _fun_. „Oh, c'mon why you so harsh on me? Let's celebrate with me! One drink for victory?"

„For victory? What are you celebrating?" Bonnie was trying to remember if Damon's birthday was today. Not that she cared, but she still was trying to remember.

„Oh, our lovely love birds are going to explode tonight."

„What are you talking abo...WHAT did you do, Damon?" Bonnie saw his smirk. God, he was so annoying.

„I just told my little brother about me and Elena." Damon touched his jaw. It still hurt a bit. But it was definitely worth it.

„You what? How dare you?" Bonnie shouted at Damon making people stare at them.

„Mmmm..I just _love_ when you're angry. You have such a spark in your eyes. Make me wanna do bad things with you." And he raised his eyebrows as in making her sure that he was ready to show her real fun tonight.

„You jerk!" Bonnie was so angry. She wanted to slap him, but she saw his smirk and realized it was exactly what he wanted. To make her embarrass herself in front of all these people. So she walked closer to Damon and slowly utter „You asshole better stay the hell away from Stefan and Elena. You get it?"

„Oh I get it. You just _want _me in your bed so damn much you can't resist, baby."

Damon felt sudden stab in his head. He tried to not show spasms in public, but damn it hurt so damn much. „Call me a _baby_ one more time and you will lose your head. You understand me?" Bonnie said making sure Damon gets another wave of spasms.

Damon was trying to speak with clenched teeth. "Uhh. Okay. No need to be a bitch."

Bonnie let him go. "I guess you got it now. Stay _the hell away_ from me and them." She took her bag with order and left.

Damon looked as she went out. "Challenge accepted, _Bonnie Bennett_." He whispered to himself. He laughed. She was strong and powerful. And she _hated_ him. This is going to be hard, but definitely worth fighting. He will get this little witch in his bed, sooner or later, but he _will_.

Damon turned back and dropped his scotch out. It tasted like mud. "For God's sake, do you even check what you are giving to your customers!"

Bonnie came by. She had forgotten her purse. She took it and turned to Damon. She smiled and raised her eyebrows.

Damon laughed. "You gotta be kidding me!" Oh yes, he _will _get this bitch in his bed. Damn her and her power!

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena couldn't resist this _silence_. This _huge_ _distance_ between them. She took a deep breath and whispered his name.

„Go away, Elena! I don't want to see you!" Stefan said slowly turning to her.

Elena saw his eyes. Full with disappointment. Full with pain. She tried to hold back her tears. She couldn't cry. No, she had to be strong and brave. „Stefan..I am so sorry! I swear to God, it meant nothing. That kiss was nothing to me."

„When? When did it happened?" Elena flinched. Stefan had his old icy tone back. The way he used to talk with her. But she also heard pain in his voice.

She simply whispered. „After you bite me.. I.. I was so weak, so heartbroken.. and Damon.. he was there.. and .. I don't know.. it just happened. He kissed me. But Stefan! I swear it meant _nothing_!" Elena took a few steps closer to Stefan. She hated this distance.

„_Nothing_?" Stefan said with irony in his voice. „Nothing? So why didn't you tell me before? Why did you lied to me all this time? Huh?"

„I.. I.. I was just scared.. I didn't wanted to hurt you.. We had such a _perfect_ time together.. I didn't want to ruin it.." Elena's voice was breaking off.

„Perfect time, huh? Didn't wanted to hurt me? So you just lied?" Stefan was getting more and more obnoxious. „You're just like her. You're just like Katherine. You did _exactly_ the same thing.."

„No, don't be like this! You bite me, I was heartbroken, I needed some kind of comfort. And Damon was there.."

„Comfort?" Stefan was mad. „Elena, you could have kissed _any_ boy in this damn town, but you kissed my _brother_! _My brother_!" Stefan's voice broke off. He was so hurt. It was like 1864 all over again.

„Stefan, I _know_ that what I did was wrong and I am _so_ _sorry_! Just.. don't push me away!" Elena was now crying. She couldn't lose him again.

„Go away! I don't want to see you! Just go!" Stefan shouted but tears were already bursting out.

„_Stefan_..Please! Let's talk!" Elena took another step closer to him.

„Are you deaf or what? I said, GO AWAY!" and he smashed glass against the wall. He had to take out his anger on something. Anything but not Elena.

Elena saw what he was doing. He was trying to scare her. Trying to make her go. She knew he was disappointed and hurt, but she also knew that she couldn't lose him. Not again. So Elena shouted back. „NO! I'm not going to leave you!"

„What is wrong with you?" Stefan was now back to his obnoxious tone. „Don't you understand? _I want you to go_!"

„No, Stefan! I lost you once, I'm _not_ going to lose you again! I won't go away till you calm down and talk to me!"

„I don't want to _talk_ to you!" But Stefan was gasping. He had that wild spark in his eyes again. He was trying to stay away from Elena, but it was hard since she was coming closer and closer.

„I'm not leaving until you look into my eyes and say that you _hate_ me, that you _don't_ love me anymore..." Elena's voice broke off, but she took a deep breath and continued, „Tell me you hate me and I'll leave!"

Stefan was now only few centimetres away from her. He could hear her _heartbeat_. He could smell her _perfume_. Her scent was making him _crazy_. He look in her eyes.

Elena's heart was racing. She saw wild spark, no, _flame_, in his eyes. He was so close. And then he looked in her eyes. She was scared that he will now tell her that he hates her and that he doesn't love her.

But instead of saying something, Stefan grabbed Elena's face and _kissed_ her. It was rough, but passionate kiss. He was _craving_ for her. His _whole body_ was literally craving for her. This insane flame, no, it was now _fire_, in his body was craving for _her_. Only for her. Like it has always been. _Only Elena_.

Elena lost any stream of thoughts. She just give into it. She heard Stefan growling and she gasped when she felt that her back was dashing against the wall.

Stefan threw down all the things that was on the desk and lifted her up. He was ripping off her blouse and trying to kiss her at the same time. He wanted to get her off the clothes but he just _couldn't_ leave her lips. He could feel Elena struggling with buttons of his shirt. He just pulled it off and threw it somewhere. Elena chuckled. She was always the _weak _one.

Elena's legs were around Stefan's waist and they were getting upstairs to his bedroom. Still not letting each other go, making sure that their lips were not sealed, were not apart from each other's bodies.

Elena was standing on her own foot, helping Stefan to get out of his pants. She chuckled again. This was.. _everything_. Also they both were gasping but getting air in their lungs did not seemed so important right now. They just kissed and kissed. Stefan was moving and along him Elena. She felt her back dashing against his bed. She took a breath and tossed her head back. She simply let Stefan kiss her neck, down to her chest and back to the neck.. If _this_ wasn't heaven, she had no idea what was.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

They were lying in his bed. He was drawing circles on her back with his fingers. She was laying on his chest. For last couple of minutes Elena was trying to get her breathing and heartbeat back to normal. Neither was Stefan's breathing still.

„Elena.."

„Mmm?"

„It was nothing? The kiss?"

Elena looked up at Stefan. „It _was_ nothing."

„Good.." Stefan nodded his head. It wasn't like he would have any doubts after what just happened, but he just, he wanted to make sure.

„You know..I should make you angry more often.." Elena giggled. If _this_ was angry Stefan, she was ready to do whatever it takes to make him angry. Every day. Every hour.

„I wasn't _angry_, Elena.." Stefan said. Elena looked up at him again. She was confused to see Stefan.. kind of ashamed? „I was just.. just.. very.._very_ jealous."

Elena giggled and embraced him. „You're unbelievable."

„I'll take that as compliment." Stefan giggled.

They were lying like that for couples of minutes more when Elena suddenly said. „Stefan, could you do something for me?"

Without thinking he asnwered „Anything."

„Please talk to Damon!" Elena heard Stefan sigh. „I know that you're mad at him, but he is your _brother_. The last thing I want is to come between you two. I.. I don't want to be like Katherine."

„Elena..What I said about Katherine.. I'm sorry, I never meant it. You're _nothing_ like her."

„It's okay. But promise me, you _will_ try to talk to him!"

Stefan sigh again. He was still mad at Damon. But Elena was right. After all Damon was his _brother_. „Okay, I promise! I'll _try_ to talk to him!"

„Thank you!" And Elena leaned to kiss Stefan.


	5. Chapter 5

~ The Homecoming ~

Chapter 5

By **MySelflessLove**

**Firstly, I wanna say that I'm so sorry for mistakes in my last chapter. Thank you all for pointing them out, it only helps me make my writing and this story better. So in the last chapter I wrote 2 a.m. as a time for Elena/Bonnie/Caroline lunch. Of course I meant 2 p.m. I'll try to be more careful next time.**

**Secondly, thank you all so, so much for reviews and sweet words on twitter! It really means a lot to me! Your kind words give me energy to write more and more. ;) So thank you! And as always, I hope you'll enjoy my story!**

Elena slowly opened her eyes. For the first time in the long time she felt completely awake. This was _good_ feeling. She was relaxed and absolutely happy. Well, till she heard her stomach growling. She hasn't eaten anything since yesterday's morning. _Wait, what time is it?_ Elena thought. It was 11 a.m. She couldn't believe her eyes. When was the last time she had slept for so long without waking up from nightmares in the middle of night?

Only then she realized something, no, _someone_ was missing. _Stefan_. Elena giggled remembering last night. She turned around to find no one by her side. _Where was he?_

Then Elena heard someone downstairs and an enticing smell hit her. Stefan was making breakfast for her. As weird as it was, Stefan has always been better with cooking than Elena. She kept smiling. She was in such a good mood today. Elena got out from bed and tried to find something to wear. Her blouse was.. not in good state, so she decided to take one of the Stefan's shirts. She put it on and felt Stefan's scent. She bite her lip. Nothing could now take away her good mood.

Stefan was making pancakes with strawberry sauce. Elena's favorite. Though he was cooking he could feel her staring at him. He turned around smiling, but when he saw Elena, he lost his breath for a moment. _God damn it_, Elena was wearing one of his shirts. She should be illegal looking like this. She was coming to him and he embraced her. „You look gorgeous." He whispered in her ear.

Elena blushed. „You don't have to say this.." She has already forgotten how it was to be called „beautiful" or „gorgeous", the words Stefan loved to call her in.

„Why? Can't I call my _beautiful_ girlfriend gorgeous?" And he gave her _that_ smile. The one that made her skip a heartbeat. And he called her a _girlfriend_..Elena tried to remember to keep focus and breathe. Her stomach growl. Well, this wasn't exactly the way she wanted to show her ability at keeping focus.

Stefan only chuckled and served her pancakes. He felt happy to see Elena this excited. Stefan just loved to make Elena happy.

He simply watched her eat, trying to hold himself from laughing. Elena was _so_ human, trying not to show how hungry she was, but at same time guzzling her pancakes. „I'm sorry, I should feed you more often." Stefan said giggling. Elena blushed. Did she really looked _that_ bad?

Then they heard someone entering boarding house, swearing at the same time. _Damon_. Stefan and Elena exchanged looks. But for a surprise Damon just passed by open kitchen doors _without_ commenting on Stefan and Elena. Stefan tried to not to smile. Damon was having hangover. And when he did have hangover he was usually pissed off. But Stefan had this good mood and he just _couldn't_ resist, so he shout at Damon „_Good morning_, brother."

That made Damon stop. He turned around and slowly walked inside the kitchen. „Not so good morning... Do you think vampires can have headache?"

Elena was looking at Damon and then at Stefan. She was surprised. She had never seen Damon so.._modest_. Usually he was bitching around self-satisfied. _An asshole_. Now he looked like human, who has gotten way too much drinks last night. Elena almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

„God, you look terrible. What happened to you?" Stefan said with ironical tone.

„Ehm.." Damon was really feeling bad. This damn effin headache. „Had some witch attack last night."

„Witch attack?" Elena asked again. 'Witch as.."

„Your little friend, who is also one big pain in the ass. Bonnie Bennett." But mentioning her name Damon smiled. He is going to get her, no matter what it will take.

„Bonnie attacked you?" Elena couldn't imagine Bonnie attacking someone.

„What did you do?"

„Nothing." Damon defended himself. „I was just charming and absolutely handsome myself."

Elena giggled. Bonnie hated Damon. Damon glared at her and then at Stefan. Stefan had smirk on his face as well. Only then Damon realized all this situation. All this _wrong _situation. _Stefan_ and _Elena_ were in the kitchen obviously _happy_ while _Damon _was the one who felt _terrible_. All this supposed to be vice versa. He would love to make their _perfect_ morning into hell, but this headache was killing him, so he walked away only adding to Elena „Surprised _you_ are still alive."

Elena chuckled. „Well, this is Damon I know."

Stefan hugged her. „He is never going to change." Elena could feel that Damon's remark hasn't affected Stefan and that was good. Today nothing could ruin their cheerful mood.

Elena embraced Stefan. „I guess I should get home. I have to meet with Bonnie and Caroline in Mystic Grill at 2 p.m."

„I can drive you till the house."

„That would be good since I don't really have _anything_ to wear thanks to _you_." She smiled raising her eyebrow.

„And I regret nothing." Stefan smiled back, leaning to kiss her.

„You bad, bad boy." Elena mumbled meeting Stefan's lips.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was sitting in Mystic Grill watching people. She had missed out a lot in those months of loneliness and sadness. She shook her head to make bad memories go away. She was happy now and nothing would change that.

Elena smiled when she saw her friends entering Mystic Grill. „Hey!" She hugged both of them.

„Someone here is actually _happy_." Caroline smiled at her friend. Elena hasn't been smiling since forever. „I guess everything went good last night?"

Elena blushed. Memories of _what_ happened last night came to her. She thought it was naughty to picture things from last night here, in public place.

„Oh My God! Elena Gilbert, tell us _everything_!" Caroline shouted. She could see that something _nasty_ has happened last night. „I want every detail!"

Elena giggled. „C'mon Caroline." But Elena saw Caroline's look. She won't give up until Elena will tell her. „I went to boarding house and Damon kind of told Stefan about kiss. We kind of fought, but at the end it turned out.. _good_."

„Elena, I'm not a kid anymore. You had _sex_!" She shouted.

Elena blushed even more scared that other customers would hear her. „Caroline!"

„What?"

„I think we could leave this conversation to some other time." As always Bonnie saved Elena.

But Caroline didn't leave it unanswered. „Yeah, you're right, Bonnie. We could move to your little flirt with Damon." And she raised her eyebrow.

„My what?" Bonnie was shocked. God, she shoud have let Caroline torture Elena.

„What have I missed?" Elena said with her mouth wide open. She looked at Caroline and they both laughed.

„You two, STOP!" Bonnie knew where this was going. Caroline and Elena just _loved_ to tease Bonnie. „Nothing, you hear, _nothing_ happened last night. Damon was just his usual asshole and I just made him pay."

„Oh, I saw that. He came home exhausted."

„Mhmm.." Another look at Elena. Caroline just loved this teasing.

Bonnie glanced at her friends and that made them only laugh more. „Damon just.."

„_Drives you crazy_." Caroline cut off Bonnie.

„And why wouldn't he?" Elena continued not giving Bonnie any chance to fight back. „He is single and charming." She looked at Caroline and they both raised their eyebrows looking at Bonnie.

„Yeah, and also he is jerk who abused _you_," Bonnie looked at Caroline. „And made sure _you_ and Stefan never get rid of his remarks. Oh, and did I mention that he has killed or hurt everyone I have ever loved or cared about. Yeah, sooo charming." Bonnie said with sharp voice.

Elena and Caroline exchanged looks. They knew this was time to stop their tease. When Bonnie become like this, she was _dangerous_. So they just tried to hold themselves from laughing.

Bonnie glanced at them for one more time and said „So can we change subject now?"

„You know what they say, when you defend yourself you have something to hide..." Caroline added, but Bonnie gave her _that_ look. Caroline rolled her eyes. „So what are you wearing for tomorrow's party?"

„What party?" Elena was confused. Was there any party tomorrow?

„Elena! Did you just fell off the Mars or you hit your head? It's seniors 100th day in last year of high school. Huge party that happens every year? Huh?" Caroline couldn't believe her ears. How could Elena ever forget about this? It was the most awesome event in whole senior year, well, after Homecoming and graduation. The last party before final exams.

„Oh seniors party. Yeah.." Elena was actually excited. This is one of the most awaited parties ever.

„So any ideas about what you are wearing? And who are you taking?"

„Ehm, I think I need to buy new dress or something and I'll ask Stefan, if he wants to go.."

„Of course he will. Everyone wants to go!" Caroline rolled her eyes. She was going with Tyler obviously. Also she was throwing everything, so this party _is_ going to be awesome. „What's about you Bonnie?"

„I'm not sure I'm going.."

„What? No, of course, you're going! C'mon it's our last party before exams!"

„I don't really have anyone to go with, so.."

„That's not problem! I can set you up with Tyler's team-mate." As always Caroline had solution.

„Are you kidding me? Set me up with someone? I'm not _that_ desperate." Actually Bonnie didn't want to go exactly because of this. Elena will have Stefan, Caroline with Tyler, and she is going to be all alone.

„But you have to come." Elena really wanted Bonnie to go. She was usually left out.

„Okay, I can slouch around a bit, get drunk." Bonnie agreed smiling. Maybe there is going to be _someone_ else without a date.

„So it's decided! We're going and we need stunning outfits!" Caroline as always were excited about every party. Her phone buzzed, it was Tyler. „Oh guys, I will have to leave you now. I and Tyler have a lot to do. See you later!" And she was gone.

Elena sigh. She really liked Caroline, but also she wanted some private time with Bonnie. „So I can cancel this and we can spend tomorrow's night watching movies. Stefan hates dancing anyway.."

„No, Elena! You have to go. Besides I'm going to be fine. I'll just hang around, you know, I'm sure Matt is going to be there too. But you have to go! You and Stefan.. You need something like that, something normal."

„Yeah, I think you're right. But now tell me, how are you? And don't say fine, because I know it's not true." Elena really felt guilty. Bonnie has always been there for her, but she has lately been focusing only on herself.

„I don't know what to say. It's just.. I kind of feel lonely lately.." Bonnie said shrugging shoulders.

„Bonnie, you know that you can always come to me. I'll be there for you in anything."

„Yeah, but I don't want to bother you. It's just that you have Stefan and Caroline has Tyler. And then there is me. Single. It would be just nice to have date for once." Bonnie wasn't sure from where this was coming. She used not to care about dates. She has always been self-satisfied.

„Bonie Bennett and cares for boys? This is interesting." Elena smiled. „Do you have anyone in mind?"

Bonnie opened her mouth to answer, but she stopped. Was there anyone she liked? Anyone she hated? Was there any boy she at least cared for? „I'm not sure and I think that's my problem. I have never really been interested in anyone. Mostly there is guys who I like as my friends like Stefan, Matt and Tyler, and then there is ones I can't stand like.."

„Damon." Elena cut her off. She regret it. But Elena could swear to her life that she didn't want to tease Bonnie. Damon just naturally came in her mind when she thought of Bonnie. Somehow they were pretty much alike.

„Yeah, him. Talking about Damon, what exactly he said yesterday? Because he was total jerk last night telling me that he had made sure that you and Stefan fight."

„Well Damon did exactly the thing I was afraid of. He told Stefan about our kiss in that sick-dirty way."

„God, I can't stand him! He has nothing better to do than ruining other people lives."

„I think he's just lonely. He needs someone that would love him. Someone that could actually stand him longer than 5 minutes."

Bonnie laughed. Damon was pain in the ass. „How can _you_ stand him?"

„Well he's Stefan's brother. I just have to accept the fact that Damon comes as a not-so-good baggage."

„Yeah..Whatever, I think we should go shopping because I don't really have anything to wear and I better do shopping with you than try to survive hurricane-Caroline." Caroline usually wanted Bonnie to buy some crazy outfits.

Elena chuckled.. Caroline and her taste in were different from Bonnie's and hers.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Damon was in much better mood. Actually all he needed was to get some human blood in his veins and, thank God, they always had plenty of it in their basement. He entered living room where he found Stefan looking through the window. „What's up, little brother? Your little girl left you?"

„She had to meet her friends." Stefan knew that Damon was ready for challenge. Damon could feel Stefan's good mood and as always his mission was to ruin his day. Stefan just kept repeating his promise to Elena that he would try to talk with his brother.

„Her friends as that barbie vampire and _Bonnie_?" Damon smirked. He's going to have so much fun with this little witch.

„Why you so sudden care for Bonnie? What you are up to, Damon?" Stefan just knew that Damon wanted something. And if Damon wanted something, he usually got it, no matter what it took.

„Nothing.." But Damon couldn't hold his smirk. God, whenever he thought of Bonnie he had some nasty thoughts.

„Oh no, Damon! Leave her alone! She _will_ hurt you." Stefan couldn't believe that Damon was that stupid to mess around with Bonnie. She basically hated him.

„And why you so sudden care if I live or die?"

„You're my brother.."

_Oh no_, Damon knew where this was going. Whenever Stefan wanted to talk about their bond and whatever shit, he called Damon _a brother_. „What is this time?"

„Nothing. What you are talking about?" Honestly Stefan wanted to quit this talk, but he had promised _Elena_..

„Oh, cut the crap, Stef. If you want to punch me for what I did, just do it, and we can quit this thing." The last thing Damon wanted was to talk with Stefan.

Stefan smirked. „Trust me, I don't really want to talk with you either, but I promised Elena to talk to you, so.."

„_Elena_? What she wants?"

„Elena wanted me to talk with you. Talk things through. She just doesn't want to 1864 happen all over again because of her."

„Oh, please! You can tell her not to worry. I got what I want, besides we all know that Elena is not Katherine." Damon smirked to hide his real feelings. For a moment he remembered 1864. Salvatore Brothers, _best friends_. That's what they used to be till that psychopathic bitch came between them.

„Okay, I'll tell her that she doesn't have to worry." But also Stefan remembered how it used to be between them.

„Fine. Tell her." Damon felt kind of awkward. He thought he should say something, but what? Damon decided to cut this crap about his feelings and turned around to go away.

„Damon?"

„What?" He turned around.

„Thank you!" Stefan said.

„For what?" Damon was not sure. Have he said something he thought aloud?

„For taking care of Elena, when I couldn't. And.. for not giving up on finding me. It means a lot."

Damon was shocked. He wasn't ready for this. For Stefan actually saying something like this. And somehow Damon didn't want to ruin it by saying some stupid comeback, so he simply whispered. „It was very least I could after you saved my life for numerous time."

Stefan nodded. It was good to finally say those things, to let go of resentment. He looked at Damon, who obviously was not saying anything more, and passed by him.

This time it was Damon, who called for Stefan. „Do you regret it?"

„Regret what?"

„Saving me. I mean, you lost Elena and... you sacrificed your life, your values just to save me. Why would you ever do that? I've only brought darkness and pain in your life."

„I've never regreted my decision, Damon. You're my _brother_, my only _family_. I didn't have other choice but to save you." Stefan saw that his words have left Damon speechless. He smiled sadly and walked upstairs.

Damon was speechless. _Damn_, he hated this. Hated that Stefan was always like this. Ready to save Damon's ass from everything and it's been like this through all these years, all these centuries. While it should be vice versa. Damon closed his eyes and memories came.

It was 1859, their mother was dying. Damon still remembered every detail. How doctor called for him to say that mother wanted to talk to him. Damon was already 17, he knew what mother wanted. She wanted to say goodbye. Damon remembered how hard it was to see Stefan, only 12 years old, sitting and crying while he hold mother's hand. Damon could still feel the atmosphere in the room. She whispered something in Stefan's ear, probably to let her and Damon talk. Stefan nodded his head and went out. Damon had to be strong, because of Stefan, because Stefan is going to need him after mother will be gone since their father was already a wreck. But in that moment Damon let his tears out. He knelt to hold mother's hand. „_Damon_.." She whispered. „My dear, dear son. You have to promise me something!" And she cough, she was weak, her last minutes were close.

„Anything mother!" Damon whispered back.

„_Promise me_, Damon, that you will take care of your little brother! He is just a child." It was harder and harder for her to talk. „Promise me that you will _always_ look after him!"

„I promise mother! I will _always_ protect Stefan." Damon was sobbing. Mother smiled and closed her eyes. And then she was _gone_.

Next moments were like blur. Doctor, father, other people came in. All Damon remembered was that he stood up and went outside to find Stefan. Of course their father didn't give damn about his sons. Damon found Stefan in the kitchen. He simply hugged him and let Stefan cry. It was so unfair, Stefan was only a child, he didn't deserve to lose his mother so early. And in that moment Damon promised himself that he would always take care of his little brother.

Damon opened eyes to get back in reality. It was kind of ironic since _Stefan_ was the one who always took care of him and not the other way around. He laughed sadly. How much everything has changed since 1864.

Damon hated this nostalgia. He made a drink for himself. He was Damon Salvatore. He did _not_ give a damn about anyone but himself. And right now he wanted to make sure that he gets what he wants. He smirked. He _will_ get that girl.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan's phone buzzed. It was _Elena_. Stefan smiled before picking up. „Yes?"

„Hey." And Stefan could feel that Elena was smiling too. „How are you?"

„As always, missing you." And he really did. _All the time_.

„Well I wanted to ask you something. What do you think of us going to this really lame high school 100th day party?"

„Mmm.. I would say.. Yes!"

„I mean, I know you hate dancing, but I just think it could be fun, you know, hang around. Besides Caroline is not letting me not to go and.."

„_Elena_, I would _love_ to go with you _to this really lame high school 100th day party_." Stefan cut her off.

„You would?"

„I have chance to spend _whole_ evening dancing with _you_, is there any question left?"

„Aww, but you can't see me till tomorrow's night. Caroline has this slumber party, only girls allowed. You know, _Caroline_ and her traditions."

Stefan chuckled. „Yeah, sure. See you tomorrow!"

„Oh and I hope you don't mind that Bonnie will be coming with us. It's just she doesn't ha-.."

„Don't worry! We will go all together."

„Okay, thank you!"

„I'm already missing you!"

„I miss you too! But I have to go _now_, Caroline's coming." And Sterfan heard peep.

He smiled. He actually thought it would be nice to hang out with Elena and her friends, to do something _normal_. He missed it, he missed ordinary human life.

Damon was in his room, smiling. So there is going to be high school party. And _Bonnie_ is going to be there too. He smirked. He loved that he could eavesdrop so easily. And it was time to look for tie, because he is going to rock this party.

**I'm sorry, I think this chapter is the worst from all. I'll do my best writing the next one that hopefully you all will like.**


	6. Chapter 6

~ The Homecoming ~

Chapter 6

By **MySelflessLove**

**I'm really sorry this chapter took so long, but my computer broke down for few days, so I wasn't able to write. Also I'm going on vacation, so next chapter might take a while too. Sorry guys, be patient, because I promise some crazy things are about to come. As always, I hope you'll enjoy my story! :)**

Stefan, Elena and Bonnie were standing in the Mystic Grill stunned. This was _insane_. Caroline has done unbelievable work with café. It was decorated perfectly and people were dancing and having great time. And there she was. Caroline with Tyler by her side was greeting every guest. She truly was the life and soul of the party.

Caroline saw her friends and walked to say hi. „So what do you think?" She asked, blinking her eye. Obviously, she was happy since she saw that people were having good time and the real dance hasn't even started.

„This is magnificent!" Bonnie whispered. Caroline was truly a master.

„This is really, really good." Even Stefan was stunned. Caroline smiled, she felt proud to impress _Stefan_.

„I agree, this is stunning, Caroline! You've done amazing job!" Elena was really speechless. It was hard to recognize usually unassuming interior of Mystic Grill.

Caroline was smiling. Everyone loved this party. „Okay, I have to leave you now. I've to keep greeting my guests." And she walked away, looking stunning herself. Tyler leaned to kiss her. Elena smiled. This was exactly what she needed. Normal party with happy people. Only then she saw Matt, he was already drinking obvisouly looking at Caroline and Tyler. Matt still hasn't got over Caroline. Elena felt so sorry for him. First, she broke up with him and he had to watch her with Stefan and _now_ Caroline and Tyler. The fact Tyler was, or used to be, Matt's best friend made things only worse. Matt looked to Elena and she smiled him a gentle, comforting smile. He just shook his head and disappeared to get another drink.

„So what ladies want to drink?" Stefan asked turning to Elena and Bonnie.

They both smiled. Even though they both have known Stefan for more than year, his old-style manners always made them blush. He was such a gentleman.

„Ehm.. could you get me glass of punch?" Elena smiled, she felt like she was going to enjoy this evening.

Stefan nodded his head still smiling. „What's about you, Bonnie?"

„Oh nothing, thanks! I think I'll try to stay sober as long as it's possible." Bonnie really felt that seeing all those couples are going to be depressing, but she doesn't want to ruin this night for her friends. She'll just hang around for a while. Stefan nodded his head and went away to get drinks.

A deep voice behind their backs speaked. „How are you, _ladies_?"

Ugh. Damon. „What are _you_ doing here? Aren't you like too _old_ for this party?" Bonnie said with sarcastic smile on her face.

„Ehh, Bonnie. Always so harsh on me! But don't you worry, I'm here to check you _kids_ don't do anything wrong." He smirked and walked across the dancing floor to talk with Alaric.

„He's just.. baaah!" Bonnie felt this huge irritation against Damon.

Elena bite her lip trying to hold herself from laughing. Seeing Bonnie so pissed off only because of Damon was funny. „Whatever.."

„What are you doing here?" Alaric asked Damon when he came to him.

„Shh, act like you have asked me to help you take care of these kids." Damon needed excuse for showing up in party for _high school_ pupil. Also he just loved to mess around with _her._

„What? What the hell you are up to Damon?" Alaric knew his friend. He was not coming to pupil party just to have good time. He was up to something.

„Let me tell you that I'm on the most amazing and probably most dangerous mission ever. This is my biggest challenge." He said, smiling and blinking at Bonnie, who rolled her eyes and turned her back on him.

Alaric followed Damon's look. „Are you kidding me? Bonnie? Are you out of your mind?"

„Maybe, but this is going to be fun. Very, very fun." He kept smiling. Bonnie ignoring him was first sign that she was falling for his bait.

„If you're lucky enough, you'll end up with your ass kicked. If not, you might end up dead." But Alaric knew it was superfluous to tell Damon this. He was way too stubborn. But Alaric knew he is going to have a lot of fun watching Damon trying to get Bonnie. She will definitely kick his ass causing pain for him as cherry on the top.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Damon was making sure his role as helper for Alaric is believable. He took glass of punch out of some teenage boy's hand, who was obviously not 18 yet. He wanted to fight to get back his glass but he saw Damon and decided not to fight with _him_ and just mumbled something about unfairness of life.

Damon couldn't stop staring at Bonnie. He smirked. She felt him staring at her, but she was so stubborn, she kept acting like she doesn't notice it. And the more she ignored him, the more he wanted her. Damon was waiting for right moment to make his plan go. And his plan was genius. None of the girls have ever rejected him. And Damon was sure that Bonnie would take a bait too.

The only thing Damon didn't knew was that Bonnie Bennett wasn't just _every_ girl.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was talking with some of her friends while waiting for Stefan to come back. Well actually she didn't really talk with them, she just nodded her head, mostly watching Stefan. She smiled, he obviously enjoyed this party too. He was helping Tyler and other boys move some packs. Elena knew that Stefan just wanted to do something normal.

Okay, this conversation that she never really heard was getting harder and harder to resist, so she just decided to go and use ladies'. Elena felt uncomfortable, rest-room was kind of away from party. And in half dark corridor there was no one. She felt shiver but she shook her head. It was just a stupid dark corridor, nothing to be scared of.

Elena heard some noise, it scared her, made her cautious. She saw somebody's shadow. Shadow came closer, but Elena let out sigh. It was only Darren. One of her classmates. „Eh, you scared me, Darren." Elena said, feeling like a total idiot.

„Oh really?" Darren said stepping closer to Elena. His breath was telling that he has already gotten way too much alcohol. Elena stepped back. Darren was absolutely drunk and something in his tone scared her. She looked back, but it felt like dark corridor was way too long and she could barely hear people partying. Elena damned her idea of going to rest-room alone.

„What? Don't want to spend some time with your old classmate?" Darren smirked, seeing fear in her eyes. „You know what, bitch? You were always such a slut. I'm surprised you even know my name. Ahhh, always wanted to get you, but you always ignored me." Elena slowly stepped back. Darren was pissed and drunk and that meant dangerous. And no one could hear Elena here, sound of party dampen their conversation. She looked back again, praying to see Stefan's face. She hoped that Stefan would go look for her. But he wasn't. Because he had no idea that Elena was in danger.

„Oh, what is wrong, babe?" and Darren clasped her. He was holding her and his breath hit her face. She has always hated drunk men. Her anger gave her some strength.

„Let go of me!" Elena was trying to break his hold, but even though he was drunk he was strong. It was no surprise, since he was defender on football team.

„Or what? Your _boyfriend_ will kick my ass? Oh, Elena, look around, he is not here." Darren jokingly looked around.

Elena was trying to think of the best way how to get out of his hold. Her heart was beating faster and faster by the thought that she was to weak and no one heard her.

Suddenly Elena felt short-windedness when Darren pushed her against the wall. She wanted to scream but his hand was on her mouth. Elena was trapped. „So I guess, it's time for us to have some fun." Darren's breath hit her again. Elena felt tears coming out. She was trapped and no one heard her. Elena closed her eyes paralyzed by fear.

Then she felt Darren letting her go in one quick second and then _his_ arms were around her. Elena opened her eyes and saw that Darren was on the floor, his jaw bleeding.

Stefan's voice scared Elena. He had an icy tone when he fixed his eyes on Darren. „_You_, get the fuck away from here before I _kill_ you!" Stefan's dark eyes and voice scared Darren. He got up and ran. Stefan was looking at him, reminding himself that there was somebody who was more important than killing that scum. He was still keeping _her_ in his arms. He looked down at her. „Are you okay? Did that lowlife hurt you?" But only a thought of that piece of a shit hurting Elena, made Stefan angry again.

„I'm okay.. I .. I was so scared." Elena let out tears and Stefan embraced her. She felt her heartbeart racing. Adrenalin was coming out and she really needed Stefan right now.

„Shh, don't cry. Everything's okay now. I'm here. No one is going to hurt you." Stefan just hold her. He could feel her heart beating like a crazy.

Elena realized where they were and decided that this incident is not going to ruin their evening. She shurgged off her tears. „Oh God, I probably look terrible." Teary eyes and smeared make up weren't exactly the best combination.

„I disagree. You look gorgeous." He smiled at her.

„Yeah right." But Stefan's smile made her smile. „C'mon, I need to go clean myself." And she pulled him with her. She is not going to go anywhere without him. They entered ladies' and Elena immediately ran to mirror. For suprise, Stefan was right. She looked kind of good. Her red eyes could also be from drinking. At least that's what she will let everybody think. She looked up at mirror and saw Stefan smiling. He was leaning against doorstep. Elena bite her lip. „What?"

She skip a breath when in the next moment Stefan was holding her. „Have I already told you that you look very, very indecent?" He whispered in her ear. Elena was trying to remember how to breathe. Stefan's hand was slowly slipping down her body. „I mean, this dress.." He whispered licking her earlobe. „..is definitely not decent." His hand was now slipping _under_ her dress. Elena was about to faint. „You _bad_, _bad_ girl." Stefan whispered right in her ear. He could feel Elena's heart racing. She gasped. Stefan was kissing her neck, slowly turning to her lips. He slightly opened her lips with his tongue. Then he pulled her closer and kissed her lips.

Elena's eyes burst open when she heard girls laughing in corridor. And they were _coming_ here. Elena would be expelled from school if someone would catch her with Stefan in the ladies' doing _this_. Stefan just giggled when Elena opened first cabin and pushed him inside. She slam the door right in that moment when doors from corridor was opening. Stefan was laughing. Elena was in panic. Didn't he understand seriousness of this situation? She turned around and closed his mouth with her hand. Instead of shutting up, he pulled her closer. Elena was trying to fight off but she gasped when her back dashed against cabin's wall. He kissed her lips. And she gave in. Elena didn't care if whole school would caught her now. She giggled in between kisses. She could hear doors opening and slaming and they were alone again.

Stefan pulled away so they could both get some air. They were craving for it. Elena was trying, trying _so_ hard to calm her breathing and heart. Her friends would already notice that they were missing. Elena, still craving for air, whispered. „We.. We should go back."

Stefan smiled and nodded. „We should."

When they got back to corridor, Elena thought that whole scene with Darren was just like some far and unreal thing. She didn't really care, she felt Stefan's hand taking hers and she smiled. It was time to go back to party.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

People all around Bonnie were taking their dates to the dance floor when music started. She saw Caroline and Tyler and she smiled at them so they wouldn't notice how sad she was. She was looking for Elena and Stefan but she couldn't see them. They were probably on the other side of room, dancing there. Bonnie turned around and jumped. Damon was right behind her. „What do _you_ want?"

„I saw you here alone and thought I could bring some fun to you." The fact Damon was pointing out that Bonnie was alone, annoyed her. „I better die than stand you for even one minute." And she was about to pass him.

Damon stepped in front of her, smiling brilliantly. „Oh, c'mon, _one_ dance. You owe me one for the other night."

„Screw you!" Bonnie shouted at him. He was incredibly stupid, if he thought, Bonnie will dance with him. She passed him but he was already speaking. „Oh, I got it! I got it." Bonnie turned around and saw Damon smirking.

„You got what?" Bonnie was irritated. She just hated his smirk.

„You're just too scared you won't be able to resist my _charm_ and my incredibly good dance moves." Damon blinked at her. He saw that she took the bait.

„I what? You _can't_ seduce me and I'm _not_ scared." Bonnie smiled sarcastically back at him.

„Then dance with me." He challenged her.

Bonnie looked at Damon. He was really thinking she would be that stupid to be seduced by _him_. _Oh no_. She will show him that she doesn't give a damn about his dance moves. Besides she wanted to dance and it seemed that Damon was the only one to ask her. „Fine." Bonnie smiled taking Damon's hand.

Damon smiled while they were geting on dance floor. He turned her around in one quick moment. This move made Bonnie skip a breath. Basically Damon was ready to lead her but Bonnie was quite a dancer. She doesn't needed to be leaded. She was _good._

Old song from 70's came up and Damon made some funny moves. Bonnie couldn't resist but laugh. He was good at dancing and she had to admit she was having fun with him. „These moves are terrible. Did they really dance like that back in 70's?" She shouted at him through the loud music.

Damon laughed as well. „Oh God, yes. That was prety much the most embarassing time of my life. Thank God, all photos are buried or burned." He shouted back.

Bonnie laughed. She had this image in her mind with Damon wearing some kind of wide-leg pants. He must looked ridiculous.

Song stopped and the next one was slow dance. Bonnie turned around to go away. She might dance with him in disco way but not in hell's way slow dance. But he pulled her back to him. Flame of anger blaze in her eyes. _How dare he?_

But Damon only pulled her closer whispering in her ear. „What you gonna do now? You can't fight. People are watching."

_Damn_, he was right. People were probably staring at them. She had no choice but dance with him. She was so angry. „You're going to regret this." But Bonnie was not ready to embarass herself in front of everybody. She will play her role perfectly and then kill Damon.

Damon just smirked. His plan was going, oh, so well. He leaded her in slow dance, resting his hand on her back and slowly slipping it on her ass. Bonnie blow Damon's balls with her knee. "Hands off ass! Off ass!"

Damon clenched his teeth. Bonnie was the devil. She mocked him, blinking her eye. She knew that from aside it you couldn't see her punching him. But Damon was already paying back. He bend her backwards and pulled her back on her feet so fast that she skip a breath. Her eyes were full with anger. Damon only smiled at her and turned her around, then pulled her close to him again. "Are you enjoying this dance, miss Bennett?" Damon hold control over Bonnie and that irritated her so much. After all, he was vampire and he was stronger than she was. She leaned to his ear and whispered. "You're dead. You heard me? I'll kill you."

Damon laughed. "Oh, just admit it, you are having fun." And he smiled, but this time it wasn't smirk. It was an actual smile.

Bonnie saw change in his smile too. That's why she didn't add any sarcastic remark, but simply smiled. At the end, he was right, she was actually enjoying this. Though later he _will_ pay for his moves.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena and Stefan got back to party. Elena saw that a lot of people were looking at them. Not because they had any inkling of what they did or what happened, they were looking because Stefan and Elena were still the couple that everyone wanted to be. After all, they were queen and king and they had won because _a lot_ of people were voting for them. Elena saw many jealous stares, of course from girls. _Every_ girl wanted _Stefan_, but Elena knew that Stefan wanted only one girl. _Elena_. So she simply smiled and squeezed his hand.

He turned to her, ignoring everyone. For him it was always only he and Elena. Stefan couldn't explain how happy he was to see those dark brown eyes looking at him. „Would you give me the pleasure and dance with me, miss Gilbert?"

„I would love to." Elena just loved dancing with _Stefan_. Though all the years as cheerleader taught her to dance, dancing _with Stefan_ was different. She didn't need to worry about steps, she could just relax while he was leading her. Stefan's dance moves were much better than average high school boy could ever dream to have.

Elena remembered the _last time_ they had danced. _The Homecoming_. Light shiver went through her body. Memories came back. And they were good.

„Are you okay?" Stefan whispered. They were like in their own little world. Stefan was holding Elena so close that, even though music was loud, they could just whisper.

Elena looked at Stefan. „I just remembered last time we danced." And she blushed, not knowing why. Maybe because she thought that their dance meant something more to her than it did to Stefan.

Stefan saw something in her eyes. A _shame_? Why would Elena be ashmed? He couldn't understand it.

She let out sigh and put her head on his shoulder. Lights were shining over them and music was on. Elena never noticed if music had changed from slow back to fast. She didn't care. She was with Stefan and nothing else mattered.

Stefan felt ridiculous, but he couldn't help himself. Elena had no idea what she was doing to him. Only this simple gesture, she resting her head on his shoulder, made him lose his mind. He could heard her heart against his chest, her body so close to his. Her hair smelled like strawberries, her skin was so soft. Stefan still couldn't believe that he was holding an _angel_ in his arms. He kissed her hair. He could swear that if he his heart would be still beating, it would be racing now, only for _her_. She was his _everything_.

Elena looked up and she saw something she would never thought of seeing. „Oh My God!" She couldn't believe her eyes.

„What is it?" Stefan let Elena turn around, but he made sure she was still in his arms. He looked at the way she was looking. He was shocked as well. „Am I crazy or this is really happening?" He was laughing.

„I can't believe this." Elena was laughing too. This was just ridiculous.

„Damon and Bonnie. Dancing. _Together_. Damon. And. Bonnie." Caroline's shocked voice came behind Stefan and Elena.

„Oh. My. God." That was all that Elena could say. Was Bonnie that drunk, because Elena couldn't find any possible reason why she would be dancing with Damon. She hated him.

Damon saw his brother and Elena standing, they were obviously speechless. He blinked and turned Bonnie in another circle. She laughed. They were just having fun. An actual fun. But when Bonnie saw that they had audience she stopped. She directed Damon to the tables. She needed a drink.

Bonnie saw Elena and Caroline coming, she drain glass of punch and took another. This was conversation she didn't want to have.

„Hi." Caroline said, obviously to speechless to talk. Yes, even _Caroline _didn't know what to say. This was too shocking.

„I have to go!" Bonnie shouted and turned around. It was getting late and she had have way too much drinks for one night and she just wanted to ran away before her friends torture her. She already knew that teasing is going to blow up. Million questions will be asked. But Bonnie didn't knew answers, so she just decided to go away, hoping that her friends won't follow her.

„Hey!" Caroline shouted at Bonnie's back, but Elena interrupted her. „Let her go. We will ask tomorrow."

Caroline looked at Damon, who was staring at Bonnie's back. She chuckle, this is going to be interesting. „Whatever.." She and Tyler were heading back to dance floor.

Damon turned to his brother and Elena, but it was like bolt of lightning. Suddenly all he knew was that he couldn't let her go, so he just looked weirdly at them and ran after Bonnie.

„Okay, what exactly just happened?" Elena turned to Stefan. He was smiling. „I have no idea." Elena smiled. In any other night, she would be worried about Bonnie, but not _tonight. _Tonight everything felt like fairytale.

Stefan smiled and reached out for Elena's hand. „Come here." He embraced her. „Let's dance!"

Elena smiled and they continued dancing.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Damon catch Bonnie. She was already in parking lot. „Hey Bonnie! Wait!" He actually had no idea what to do. He had no idea what he was doing.

Bonnie took a deep breath. She was not sure if she wanted to face Damon. She had no idea what had happened tonight. But she couldn't just ran away. Not from him. „What do you want?" Okay, that sounded a bit too sharp. Wait, since when Bonnie cared how she talked with Damon?

„You just.. ran away." Damon had no idea what to say. What was wrong with him?

„Yeah. It's late and I'm.. I'm a bit drunk.. And you saw their faces. I don't really want to explain it.. us..Whatever." She decided to blame the fact that she was drunk. That's why she couldn't think straight.

„It was fun, wasn't it? I mean... it..us..." _Damn, this was too lame_. Why couldn't he think of anything better to say? _Think Damon!_

„Yeah. Though I wanted to kill you for several times." She chuckled. It was true, she still wanted, but she had to admit, it _was_ fun.

Damon smiled. „So you're going home?" He had this urge to make sure she gets home safe. He was not thinking straight. Gotta blame alcohol.

Bonnie looked at him, he was smirking, offering to be her company till home. „Damon.." She was not sure what she was thinking.

Damon was slowly getting back to his old self. „What? Can't I just walk you home?" He smirked. „Besides I'm sure you don't want to go alone and pass that group." Damon said pointing at group of drunk high school boys. They made sure every girl who passed them got some stupid remark and whistle. Damon saw Bonnie's face and chuckled. Obviously Bonnie hated drunk and stupid boys.

„Fine, you can walk me till my home." She said.

They simply walked in silence. There was nothing to say really. And Bonnie was tired. Cold spring wind blew in her face and she shivered. When she had gotten here, it had been warmer, she had only her dress on.

„Here, take my jacket." Damon whispered putting his jacket on Bonnie's shoulders.

She shivered again, but this time from change. It was so nice to wear jacket. She breathed and felt Damon's scent. For her surprise, jacket was warm and made her comfortable. It was so weird to see Damon like this. Being gentleman, not jerk he always was. Bonnie liked _this_ Damon.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was helping Caroline to pick up trash. Stefan and Tyler were moving tables back to the way they had to be in the morning. It was late and everyone had gotten home. Elena and Stefan had stayed to help Caroline and Tyler to tidy up a little bit.

It was their time to go home as well. Stefan said goodbye to Tyler and Elena added „Caro, this was awesome. Really great and everyone had good time. You're genius." Caroline smiled. They hugged and Elena went out with Stefan.

Fresh air made her realize that she was very, very tired. She had been dancing and having fun with Stefan for hours. Also tidying up was tiring. It was even hard for her to stand. She was so sleepy.

„Here, your coat." Stefan helped Elena to pull it. He chuckled, Elena was barely standing on her feet. „You're so tired."

„Oh, it's okay. Tonight was good. Thank you!" But Elena was already reeling.

Stefan chuckled. Elena looked like a child who had had tiring day. „Oh, baby, come here." Stefan clasped her to his chest, so she could rest against him. He took her in his arms but she tried to protest „You don't have to carry me, I can walk by myself." But she was already enjoying this.

„Oh no, you can't." He chuckled again. „Besides it'll be _faster_ if you let me carry you home." Elena looked up at him with wide eyes. Elena liked but at the same time was scared when _Stefan_ ran. Her instincts warned her that it was dangerous, but Elena knew that she didn't needed to worry. Stefan would never let her get hurt.

Stefan blinked and tried to hold himself from laughing. „Oh, c'mon, I thought you liked it."

„I do!" Elena shouted. She looked like a child who wanted to try loop, but still was scared from speed and height. Elena was sleepy and that's why million weird thoughts came through her mind such as that Stefan was just holding her for few minutes already, but he never got tired.. Or that he could fly.. She heard him laughing again and she laughed herself. She must look ridiculous. She let out sigh and closed her eyes. In that moment she _felt_ it. Felt that incredible feeling. She was flying. She could feel that cold wind hit her face and she embraced Stefan. She felt him hugging her closer and she rested her head against his shoulder.

After few seconds Stefan felt her falling asleep. He smiled and made sure that not a single blast of wind disturb her sleep. He looked down at her. She looked like an angel. Stefan had always liked to watch her sleep. He knew the difference between when she had nightmare and when dream... They were at her doors. He slowly, making sure not to wake her up, searched for keys in her coat.

Elena cuddled even closer when Stefan brought her in bedroom. It was so hard to let her go, but Stefan took off her high heels and coat, again making sure she doesn't wake up. He simply didn't dare to disturb her sleep. He put her in bed and blanket. She mumbled something in her sleep, but warm bed and blanket made her fall asleep even more deeply. Stefan sat next to her, not able to stop smiling. He stroke her hair and kissed her on forehead. „Sleep tight, _my angel_." He whispered and quietly walked away.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena woke up with huge smile. She had had wonderful dream that, of course, included Stefan.. A lot of him. Then she realized she had no idea how she had gotten to her home last night. She remembered that Stefan had hold her in his arms and then.. Then she had woken up here. He must had taken her home. Elena only wished he would have stayed with her. She stretched and realized she was still wearing her dress. She giggled. Every other boy would have used the situation and undressed her, but not Stefan. Then she smelled something. _Roses?_ Elena rolled over and her eyes burst wide open. There was huge bouquet of roses and envelope next to it. She got out of her bed and smelled roses before taking envelope. There was note in it that said:

_Elena, buy whatever you want and be ready tomorrow night at 7pm! With love, Stefan._

It was that simple. No place or a single word about what to wear. She smiled and took her phone out.

„Yes?" Elena could hear smile in Stefan's face.

„Hey," She answered with voice that was filled with love. „I just found your little surprise and I have some questions." Elena heard Stefan laughing, so she continued. „First of all, thank you! It's so sweet. But what should I wear? I mean, where are we going?"

„Oh, that's part of surprise. Just buy whatever you want and be ready."

„Buy.." Only then Elena realized that there was money in envelope. She didn't count all of it, but what she saw was about 5000$. „Five thousand dollars? Are you insane?"

„Is it too less?" Stefan asked with worried voice. He had no idea how much woman needed to buy what she wanted.

„Less? This is too much! Stefan, I could buy, I don't know, a _house_ with this money! I can't take it!" Stefan must be crazy. 5000$ dollars? Really?

„Oh yes you _can_ and you _will_! Just buy whatever you want. Even a house, if you want to..." He chuckled. Elena was just not used to the way women were taken care of in the time he was raised. His father had taught him to make sure _his_ woman has everything she wants. That was one of the biggest diffrences that annoyed Stefan. Boys these days thought that buying one rose was enough. It _wasn't_. You had to treat your girlfriend so she would feel like a princess.

„You're just crazy. I'll buy something for tomorrow night and I'll give you back all the money." Elena just felt uncomfortable when Stefan did such a things. She wasn't used to receive such a presents. But it felt _good_. Elena immediately felt like she was _special_ and she knew that she _was_ special to Stefan.

„No, you won't!" But Stefan heard Elena starting to have a tilt at him, so he cut her off. „God, Elena! I should do something like this more often. _You_ deserve this and much more." But his voice was already filled with love.

Elena knew that it wasn't real to win over Stefan. And she understood. He was raised in different time and used to do such a things. So she decided to try get out some more information of where they are going. „So this is _date_?"

„It's date." Stefan confirmed. He knew what Elena was trying to do, but he won't tell her.

Elena heard Stefan's tone and knew that he won't tell her, so she decided to try begging. „C'mon, _honey_, tell me! At least should I wear dress or.. sportswear?"

Stefan laughed. She was unbelievable. „Okay, wear dress."

Elena bite her lip, she got one victory, so she tried again. „And what's about shoes..?" She used her sweet voice to win again.

„Oh no. Nothing more. Just be ready!" And Stefan dropped off before Elena makes him tell her _everything_. She was way _too good_ with making him submissive.

_Damn it!_ But Elena was happy with what she got. Only then shiver came through her body. She had forgotten. „Oh My God!" she ran out of bed to look what date was tomorrow. It was March 14. Anniversary of their _first time_. The first time they had put away all shame, all fear, all lies. The first time Stefan had shown Elena his _other_ side. And the first time they had made love. She had forgotten it, while Stefan had probably planned this for weeks.

Elena was freaking out. She knew Stefan. He must have planned everything _perfectly_. Something very, very romantic and _perfect_. She had to be perfect as well. She ran to mirror and shake. She had to look perfect and.. And give him present as well. How could she had forgotten about this? She tried to calm down by breathing slowly and deeply. She needed to call her friends. They would help her to choose the right dress and present. She had one day to prepare for tomorrow night. Because she had to be _perfect_ for Stefan.


	7. Chapter 7

~ The Homecoming ~

Chapter 7

By **MySelflessLove**

**Since I got so many positive comments on the last chapter, I manage to write this one in 2 days. Just wanted to give you something before leaving for my vacation. As always, your feedback is very much welcome! :)**

Elena and Caroline were sitting in the Mystic Grill. It felt like last night really was only a fairytale and if Caroline wouldn't stop talking about how good last night was, Elena would think that it was only her dream. But she hadn't time to think about it, she had a lot of things to do to get ready for tomorrow night. Elena had this feeling inside, this excitement for tomorrow. Stefan and she are going to have romantic evening.. She remembered how they used to have such a things. A dates. And tomorrow night is going to be _special_. She must be perfect.

„..So yeah everybody is still sending me texts that last night was the best 100th day party _ever_," Caroline was talking, but she clearly saw that Elena was in her own little world, „..but it looks like you don't care!"

Elena jumped from Caroline's voice, she had no idea what Caroline had been talking this whole time. Caroline raised her eyebrow and Elena wished that Bonnie would be answering their calls, but she was clearly avoiding them. Or, as Caroline thought, she probably was spending time with Damon. Elena didn't want to believe that, but, on other hand, Bonnie hadn't gave any sign. If she would be hangover or something she would at least text her. Elena was trying to ignore thought that Damon had done something to her. She knew that Damon was asshole and everything, but she didn't want to believe that he could hurt Bonnie. And she also didn't want to call Stefan, asking him if his brother hasn't killed her best friend. It wouldn't be exactly the conversation they should have before romantic date.

„I don't get you!" Caroline once again brought Elena back to reality. „Why are you so worried about this date thing?"

„Caroline, don't you understand? I have to be perfect. I already feel guilty for not remembering such an important day and I still don't have present for Stefan." Elena was freaking out again. Yes, she had bought this amazing dress, but she hadn't thought of anything to give to Stefan. She couldn't just buy something, like a watch. She needed to think of _perfect_ gift, because she was sure for hell that Stefan had _something_ for her.

„C'mon it's so easy. Just buy some sexy underwear and have a sex with him." Caroline couldn't find the problem here. After all, it was anniversary of their _first_ _time_. Why Elena was so worried? Men always enjoyed sex.

„Caroline.." Elena couldn't even begin to explain that it was more than just a sex.

„What? Men love sex. Just show up in some naughty outfit and he will be yours."

„Caroline," Elena started again. „It was so much more than only sex. We finally put away all lies and masks, our insecurity and fears. It was so much more.."

„Aw, you two will always be my favorite couple." Caroline smiled. Elena smiled back, what she and Stefan had was something that no one else could ever have. And that's why people didn't understand how much it meant.

„I just have to be _perfect_.." Elena whispered.

„Elena, calm down! Stefan loves you more than anything. You are already perfect to him." She never understood her friends. They were flawless, why they always had to worry? „So I think sex is going to work. Just bring back memories."

„Oh my God! You're genius! That's exactly what I have to do!" Sometimes Caroline was so perfect at giving advices that she never even notice.

Caroline blushed. „Oh c'mon. I just told you to have sex with him."

„No, Caroline! I'll _show_ him memories. Everything we have been through." Elena was so happy. This was actually an epic idea.

„Wait, _memories_? How are you going to do that?"

But Elena wasn't listening. „I need Bonnie!"

„What? Are you going to ask her for some kind of spell? Because I doubt there is spell like that..."

„No, Caroline! I'll make scrapbook." Elena already thought about which photos she is going to add. And also she could find her thoughts about him, _them_ in her old diaries.

„And you need Bonnie exactly _why_?"

„Because she has printer that will print photos.." Elena was so excited that she couldn't understand how Caroline did not saw her idea.

Caroline looked up at clock. Tyler and she had to meet after 10 minutes. She smiled guilty „I'm sorry Elena, I have to go now.."

„Yeah, yeah, no worries.." But Elena was freaking out. „I'll try to reach Bonnie, and if she won't answer me, I'll go to her house!" Elena was just worried that she wouldn't print photos in time.

„Or maybe you can just calm down and watch her having date with Damon." Caroline said feeling excited but shocked when she spotted Damon few tables away from where Elena and she were sitting.

Elena followed Caroline's stare and saw Damon sitting few tables away from them. „It's only Damon.."

„Yeah, but Bonnie is probably on her way. Duh!" Obviously Elena didn't know how this was going on. She seemed to lost her mind, because few years ago Elena was good at spotting secret dates and such. „Okay, have to go now. Call me later with _all the details_ of our little friend's secret affair!"

Elena giggled. Caroline will never _ever_ let Bonnie get away with this. Caroline was already calling them _couple_ and saying they have _secret affair_ when really Damon was just sitting.. _alone_. But, on other hand, he was obviously waiting for someone, and that someone was person he wanted to meet because he was smiling. But Elena decided to just drink her coffee and leave. She wanted for Bonnie to have some privacy with Damon. Or even if they weren't meeting, just let them be without pressure from others.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Damon was waiting for Alaric. Well actually Ric and he had meeting only after like 30 minutes. Damon was just hoping to see Bonnie here since _Elena_ and _Carolin_e were there. _Silly girls_, Damon thought. He was surprised Caroline forgot about the fact that Damon was vampire with super good hearing, so he just listened whenever they mentioned Bonnie. All other shit didn't bother him, he only listened for Bonnie parts. _Secret affair?_ That sounded _good_. Damon smirked. Bad thoughts were coming in his mind. Alaric's voice brought him back to reality. „Hey! You're still _alive_. I'm shocked!"

„Oh, shut up!" Though Damon was half surprised too. On other hand, he had called and left _her _several messages, she was ignoring him. _Avoiding_, isn't that one of the signs that you have desire to fuck somebody?

Alaric brought him back once again. Damon was sure that Ric had said something but he was not sure what. „..I'm actually very surprised that your plan go well? I mean, it looked so _real_, all the smiling and laughing..What? Wasn't it fake?"

Damon realized that his face had betrayed him, so he quickly shouted „No! Of course it was all just a game." Not looking at weird faces Ric gave him. Something like _shut up_?

„_Game_?" voice full with anger and disappointment came behind Damon's back.

_Damn it!_ Damon turned around slowly and smiled. „_Bonnie_..Hey!"

Alaric was already standing. It was time for him to _leave_. „Oh so I have to go now. Ehm, see you later." _If you're going to be alive_, Alaric thought.

„Don't bother, Ric. You can _stay_ with him because I am _leaving_." Bonnie dropped Damon's jacket that she wanted to give him back and walked away. She couldn't believe herself! How dumb she had been believing that Damon was actually a nice guy. The worst part was that it _hurt_.

Damon ran after her. „Bonnie, wait!" And he grabbed her arm.

„Let go of me, you son of a bitch!" Bonnie shouted. She was so angry, mostly at herself. How could she believed him? _How_?

„Bonnie, I can explain!" God, damn it! This was just a _disaster_.

„_Explain?_ Do you really think I want to know how you decided to fool me? Screw you!"

„Bonnie, I know this looks bad, but I can explain."

„You know what? You're just a stinker. Just admit it, Damon, that your plan of how-to-fool-Bonnie-part-_two_ failed! Yeah, yeah, be happy, you _got_ me! You _seduced_ me! Now you can go and have _victory drink_ with some slut!" She yelled at him. The more she talked, the more it hurt her.

„_Bonnie_.." But Damon knew nothing he would say would make her understand. What hurt him the most was to see Bonnie's eyes full with hate and disappointment. The old look she had whenever she saw him. And after the way she had looked at him last night, this hateful look hurt him.

„Just screw you!" Bonnie said with anger and hate in her voice. She focused on those two emotions, because she was too scared she might cry if she would let herself calm down for one second. Bonnie turned around and walked away, knowing that she had to get back in her car before anyone, before _he_ notices tears in her eyes.

Damon just looked at her back, leaving him. They always left. He heard Elena's voice. She is probably going to yell at him too, but he deserved it. Every single word. Every single hateful word.

„What happened?" Elena asked. She had seen Damon and Bonnie arguing inside and then Bonnie had ran away.

„Nothing.. just tell her I'm sorry." And he disappeared.

Elena ran to Bonnie's car. She opened door and saw Bonnie crying. „Oh my God! What happened?" Elena swore that she would kill Damon if he was the reason that had caused Bonnie's tears.

„I was just so _stupid_, Elena... Thinking..Thinking that he actually cared. But it all was.. just a _game_.." Bonnie said, still sobbing.

„Bonnie..I.. I actually think Damon was worried. He asked me to tell you that he was sorry."

„_Sorry_? He is just jerk, but also very, _very_ good actor." Bonnie said with new flame of anger. She hated herself for believing that ass for even one second. But she wanted to forget about this. Yes, that's exactly what she is going to do. She will _bury_ last night like it never happened. So to clear her mind she asked Elena „So what you are up to?"

„Bonnie, it doesn't matter now. Tell me what happened!" Elena will find another way to get those photos. Right now more important was to help her best friend.

„I don't really want to talk about it. Let's just act like it never happened. And I need distraction, so what is happening?"

Elena thought that burying and acting like nothing happned isn't the best way, she knew it from her experience, but she saw Bonnie and knew how stubborn she was, so she let it go. Bonnie will talk when she will be ready. „So Stefan and I have anniversary tomorow and I need to make something special for him."

Okay, seeing other people actually happy won't really help, but Bonnie decided it's going to be easier to talk about Stefan and Elena than about that ass and herself. „So how can I help?"

„I thought of making scrapbook of us and I need to use your printer to get photos." Elena already saw everything in her mind. This scrapbook is going to be perfect with all the photos and the best moments of their relationship in it.

„Okay, let's go to my place and start working since you have like 9 hours left." Bonnie smiled to comfort Elena and.. _herself_.

„Actually first we should go to my place, I need to pick up photos and my diaries and then we can go." Elena smiled. She was excited for tomorrow night and also she wanted to cheer Bonnie. And she already tick that her next task is going to be kick Damon's ass.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stefan was in his bedroom trying to decide which shirt would fit him the best. And smile never left his face. He was so excited for tomorrow night. He heard Damon entering boarding house and called him up. He thought he could use Damon's help with shirts. But when he turned around he saw walking disaster. „_What_ happened to you? You look like a disaster?"

„Oh, _thank you_ very much, you also look _lovely_." Damon mumbled, obviously pissed off.

„Geesh, you really look bad." Stefan couldn't understand this. When he had met Damon early in the morning he had been all excited and in good mood. Now he looked just _terrible_. „Seriously, what happened with you?"

„Ehh, I just did something very stupid." Damon was pissed off, but mostly at himself. How could he have been so dumb? He saw Stefan's inquiring glance and continued. „I was talking with Ric about last night..And about my challenge to get Bonnie and.. and then she was there and heard it all.. and now she probably hates me.. and I'm pretty sure she already has plan of how to kill me." Damon was talking so fast it was almost hard to understand what he was saying.

„I'm sorry!" Stefan said. He knew Damon was hurt, because he hasn't been like this since..Well, very, very long time.

Stefan's sorry cut Damon off the guard. „You are _sorry_ for me? What happened with you-deserved-it crap?"

„Damon, I saw you last night.." Stefan took a deep breath. „Why don't you ask yourself a question, _why_ you are so pissed off?"

„I..I.." But Stefan was right. Last night Damon had _won_, he had _seduced_ her and _got _her. Then why he felt like a loser?

„See? This is why I am sorry for you. You care for her." Stefan said. He could read Damon's face like a open book. And last night Damon had been happy, for once in his life, he had been really happy without doing anything bad.

„Tell me one thing, brother. I won last night, but why do I feel like a loser?" In the second he had said those words, he regret them. _Damn_, there was something wrong with him. He wasn't this guy. This guy who asks his _little brother_ for help. He was Damon Salvatore and he didn't care for anyone.

„Because you were having an actual fun but you just screwed up." Stefan was trying not to judge Damon, though he hated that Damon did those things. Stefan tried to remember that it was important not to scare Damon from happiness, because that was exactly what his brother had been doing for past 100 years. He had been running away from chance to be happy every time it showed on the horizon. And all this because Katherine had broke his heart.

„Fun? I'm _always_ having fun. I don't need some lame high school party to have _an actual_ fun!" Damon was defending himself. Mostly because he knew Stefan was right, but he didn't wanted to show it. „You forgot _you _are the brooding brother, I'm the cool and charming one."

„Well, fine. It's just that _I am_ the one who is _happy_ while _you_ look like a _disaster_."

„Whatever.." Damon tried to mock Stefan, but damn he was so right. „Anyway, why did you called me?" Damon looked behind Stefan's back. There were shirts and ties laying on the bed. Was he going somewhere?

Stefan saw that Damon had closed himself from talking about last night and _her_, so Stefan went back on original reason why he had called Damon. „So which shirt is better?" He asked showing Damon two shirts.

„Where are you going?" Damon smirked and asked instead of answering question. He was back on his jerk mode, because it was just easier to be jerk than let himself care.

„Elena and I tomorrow have special day, so I need to decided which shirt is better?" Stefan felt that this might be bad idea. Damon was back on his old self and that meant jerk.

„What?" Damon smirked. His brother was just ridiculously lame with all this romantic stuff.

Stefan smirked back. „You know, you should try _this_ too. Romantic dates are better than scheming games that end up hurting everyone, including yourself."

This hurt Damon. He glance at Stefan angrily and walked away. When he got till door he turned around and said. „Wear the blue one.. It matches with your hair." Damon heard Stefan laughing and he had smile on his face as well. „_What?_ Sometimes I like to read magazines about fashion. It impress women." But Damon was laughing while heading to his bedroom. It has been long time since they had laughed like this and it almost felt good to have someone on your side. Damon shook his head. He was getting sentimental again. Something _was_ wrong with him.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Bonnie was laughing aloud. „Oh my God, look at me. I look so lame in this shirt. Can't believe I actually wore something like this." She was looking at photo from last year. Elena and she had spent last 3 hours looking through pictures and Elena's diaries from last year. They were laughing almost all the time. How lame they looked in photos or what Elena had written about. This was good. Bonnie had almost forgotten what had happened at Mystic Grill. This scrapbook thing turned out to be funnier that she thought.

„Oh God, I can't even read this. This is so lame." Elena laughed too. She opened page where she had rant about Jane Moskovic from senior class looking at Stefan in _that_ way.

Elena looked at Bonnie who was trying to hold herself from laughing. Elena crawled to Bonnie and they burst into laughing. Bonnie was holding photo of Elena, herself and Caroline in Halloween party in 2009. Bonnie was dressed as Catwoman, Elena as Wonder Woman and Caroline as Supergirl. They had choosen these outfits because back then all three of them liked three boys from Football team who were obsessed with comics.

„You actually look sexy." Elena said sobbing from laughing.

„I know right?" Bonnie said doing cat moves with her hand. That made them laugh only more. „Wait.. I think I actually still have that costume in my closet."

„Please don't show me it! I don't want to die!" Elena was trying to stop laughing because her stomach was already in spazms from laughing and she was sobbing.

Bonnie opened her closet. „Oh God, here it is!" She took it out. Leather costume looked just ridiculous.

Elena was biting her lip, trying so hard to hold back another burst of laughter. „You know, I think I can find my Wonder Woman costume as well. I should wear that and Stefan would ran away from me in one minute." Elena just imagined Stefan's face if she would show up in that costume. On other hand, he also could be interested.. She shook her head to get away naughty thoughts.

„Oh do that and I guarantee he _will_ ran away." Bonnie just couldn't link Stefan and comics. He was from different time, he didn't read that shit, he read classical literature that actually had meaning behind it.

„Oh God, we haven't been laughing like _this_ in long time. Feels so good. But I should keep going. It's pretty late and I have to make sure I get some qualitative sleep to be beautiful tomorrow."

„Oh, honey, I hope everything goes well tomorrow. Call me later, I won't gonna bother you, you know, I don't want to interupt you guys." And she hugged Elena. „And _thank you_ for today! I really needed this."

„Oh, always, but prepare for hurricane Caroline. She won't let you get away with this."

„I know. I'll figure out something." Bonnie had always had better contact with Elena, because she never asked too much. But she loved Caroline as much as Elena, just with Caroline it was harder.

„Okay, bye!" Elena said before leaving. She had scrapbook finished and it was perfect. Very cute and romantic, she thought. And only a thought of tomorrow night made butterflies fly in her stomach.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stefan was in suit, waiting for Elena to get there. He wanted to drive her, but she had told him that she also has something for him and that she would prefer to get there by herself. And she was late exactly 2 minutes and 38 seconds. Stefan was just anxious, he made sure his suit is good and that nothing is missing. Tonight everything must be perfect.

His phone buzzed and he smiled. It was Elena. „Hey, Elena!" She probably had gotten lost. It was kind of hard to find the way to this place.

„_Stefan_.. It's me Bonnie!"

„_Bonnie_? Is everything okay? Where is Elena?" Stefan did not liked Bonnie's tone. She sounded.. devastated.

„Stefan.." Bonie was sobbing. She couldn't continue.

„What is happening? Bonnie! Tell me! Where is Elena? Is she okay? What is happening?" Stefan was in panic. Something was terribly wrong and he felt it.

„Stefan.. There has been an accident... A car accident.." Bonnie was crying. She still didn't want to believe it.

„WHAT? Is _Elena_ okay? Where is she? I'm leaving right now!" Stefan's mind was racing. This couldn't be happening.

„_Stefan_.." Bonnie was trying to talk through tears. „She didn't make it. Ambulance came, but it was too late. She is dead, Stefan." Bonnie cried, she was looking straight at Elena's dead body that police was covering.

Phone slid out of Stefan's hand. All he could hear was deadly words. _She didn't make it. She is dead, Stefan._

Stefan fell to the ground. _She didn't make it. She is dead, Stefan._

Stefan's eyes burst wide open and he got up. He was trying to breathe, trying to calm down.

„Bad dream?" A deep, dark voice came from corner of Stefan's bedroom. _Klaus_. He was sitting in the chair, playing with pen from Stefan's desk.

Stefan immediately was standing on his own feet, angrily following every move Klaus made. „What are you doing here?"

„Oh, I just came to visit my old friend. _Rippah_." Klaus said with an evil grin. „I need you to do me a favour."

„Go to the hell! I'm not your slave anymore!" Stefan shouted back. Million thoughts were racing through his mind. But most important thing was that _she_ was okay. Elena was okay. It had been only a nightmare.

„Ehh, I knew you're going to be rude. Though you should be thankful to me. I let you enjoy your little love for quite a long time." Klaus calmly said, his evil grin never left his face.

„What do you want from me?" Stefan tried to calm himself down. It was Klaus. In his bedroom. That means he was back in town. Stefan had to be careful. He had a lot of people to lose.

„As I said I need favour." Klaus smirked. „Actually that's an order." He was walking around the room, still playing with pen in his hands. „You," He pointed at Stefan with pen, „Are going to kill Bonnie."

„_What?_" Stefan was not sure he had heard him clearly. But evil grin Klaus had, confirmed that he was talking seriously. „Why would I do that?" Stefan challenged. He needed to get as much information as he could to protect people he cared about. And Bonnie was one of them.

„Because she is an obstacle in my diabolical plan. Her spells are annoying me. So get back your true nature, Rippah, because this is going to be bloody fun." Klaus had his evil grin even bigger. Nothing better than ripping apart young beautiful girl.

„I'm not like that anymore. And I'm _not_ gonna let _you_ hurt Bonnie or anyone else in this town."

Stefan's sudden loyalty for humans cut Klaus off the guard. He was getting pissed off. „Oh, yes you _will_!" Evil grin was back as he continued. „Otherwise some nasty _car accident_ will happen. But who would want little _Elena_ to get hurt?"

Only now Stefan understood his nightmare. It wasn't only game for Klaus. It was _message_ from him. Stefan hurled Klaus against wall. „Don't you dare to touch Elena!" He warned him. Stefan did not cared about anything. He will kill Klaus if he touches her.

Klaus was getting pissed off again. How dare Stefan talk with him like this? He stuck pen in Stefan's stomach. Stefan fell down on his knees and growled. Klaus walked by him wiping blood off of his hands. „So you kill Bonnie, and Elena stays alive. Or you don't do it, and Elena dies, let's say, in some nasty car accident. You know, it's spring and road on _Wickery Bridge_ is pretty slippy."

„You won't kill Elena. You need her for your hybrids." But Stefan's mind was racing. A scene from his nightmare wasn't leaving his head.

„Oh, she is irrelevant now. My new plan is bigger than that and Bonnie is huge obstacle in it. So kill her and save your little angel."

„You're not gonna do that.. You need her.." Stefan repeated, but he saw Klaus's face. He didn't needed Elena anymore. Stefan was starting to panic.

Klaus let out dramatic sigh. „You should be happy. I'm letting you _choose_ between _losing her forever _and _letting her hate you_ for the rest of her life. I think we both can agree on that second option is better."

Stefan knew that Klaus was deadly serious. Panic, depression, darkness were coming. Stefan realized that he had no choice. He _had_ to kill Bonnie to save Elena. But if he does that Elena will _never_ forgive him. „I can't.. I can't do this!"

Klaus smiled. He saw that Stefan knew that he was helpless. He just had to choose between losing Elena. Well, actually he is going to lose her anyway. Only in one option she stays alive. „Oh c'mon, think about it! You just have to kill Bonnie, and Elena is going to have a future. Do you really care more about your _friend_ than _love of your life_?"

Stefan was begging for forgiveness. „I'm sorry! I'll do everything, just please don't make me hurt them."

„How kind of you! But all I need from you is to kill Bonnie."

Pain was hitting Stefan. He had no choice, but to kill Bonnie, because he just couldn't lose Elena.

Klaus smiled, seeing Stefan's face. „I'll give you three days." But then he got serious. „Better don't be late, otherwise that conversation you had with Bonnie in nightmare is going to happen for real." And he was gone.

Stefan was in panic. _She didn't make it. She is dead, Stefan. _Words were screaming in his head. The more he thought about it, the hardest it was to bear. He is going to lose Elena no matter what, but he just couldn't let her die.


	8. Chapter 8

~ The Homecoming ~

Chapter 8

By **MySelflessLove**

**I'm sorry that this took so long to update and that this chapter is kind of short. I lost my inspiration for days and I had to go back to school, so I had some problems with writing. Hopefully you will like this chapter. As always your feedback is very much welcome. :)**

_She didn't make it. She is dead, Stefan. _Words kept screaming in his head. Stefan got up. He had been kneeling for some time already. But no more. He didn't had a choice but do what Klaus says. Stefan hated himself for what he was about to do. For killing Bonnie. For hurting Elena. For not being strong enough to fight and to protect them _both_. And the more he thought about what he is going to do, the more it hurt him... But then sudden panic attack hit him. What if Klaus has already done something to his little angel?

Stefan got up and ran. He did not think, he just needed to see her, to make sure she is okay. He knocked at her door so fiercely that they almost dropped a brick.

Elena opened door and saw Stefan. He looked weird. Anxious. Elena looked at clock. Was she late? No, it was 6.30. She still had half an hour. „Hey.." But something in Stefan's eyes stopped her. Something was wrong. He looked devastated.

Stefan literally ran into her house holding her. „Are you okay? Is everything okay?" He was examining her. He sweared to God, if Klaus had done something to her, he is going to kill him. But she was fine. She was okay. Klaus hadn't hurt her. Yet.

Elena surprised from Stefan's behaviour whispered. „I'm fine, I'm fine."

„You're fine... You're okay.." Stefan repeated breathless. She was fine. His angel was okay.

„Hey, Stefan..Hey.. What's wrong?" Elena asked with comforting smile.

Only now Stefan understood where he was and what he was doing. This was bad. He should have just called her. Now it is going to be much harder. Now he had to lie looking in her eyes. „Ehmm. Everything's fine. I.. I just _bad_ dream. Wanted to check if you're okay...So I came.." Stefan just couldn't lie to her. After all these months he spent lying to her about his feelings.. He couldn't lie to her. But he had to. And it hurt him.

„Aw, that's so sweet. But, ehm, I'm sorry, I kind of thought we're going out at 7 pm. I'm mean, I just have to change and we can go. Just, ehm, I didn't know you're going to be sooner here.." Something was _wrong_. Elena felt it. Stefan was acting strange and she could feel something bad coming. She shook her head. She was just worried herself. Nothing bad is going to happen. Stefan was probably just too excited and that's why he came faster.

„Ehm.. About that. I think we might have to cancel our date.." Disappointment in her eyes killed Stefan inside. Only now he actually looked at her. She was wearing pale pink silk robe in which her slim figure only highlighted. Stefan noticed that she had done her nails and put light make up. And her hair.. She looked like an angel with these curls. Thinking about that he is going to leave her broke his heart. But he tried to convince himself that his angel deserved a life, a future. And clearly it had to be without him.

„Why?" Elena couldn't help herself. Her voice broke off. She had been so excited for tonight the whole time. She knew that Stefan probably had a good reason to cancel but it still felt like frustration. She shook her head again. She was acting like a kid who got ice cream with wrong flavor.

„Ehmm.. I'm not feeling well.." Stefan closed his eyes for a moment. It was just too hard to look into her eyes. To see frustration in them. To see her being mad at _herself_ because she thought something was wrong with _her_.

„What? Are you _ill_ or something?" But Elena regret words right after she said them. They sounded too sharp and Stefan's face was so hurt. Seriously, what was wrong with her?

„Kind of...I'm feeling a little bit dizzy." Stefan continued when he saw Elena's inquiring glance. „I.. It's just that I haven't.. I haven't drank human blood for some time and.. And all of it is coming out, so yeah, I feel kind of sick." He just hated that he had to lie to her. But there was no other way out. He couldn't tell her. He just couldn't.

Elena immediately felt guilty. She had been worrying about herself while Stefan had been going through this. _Alone_. She wondered how long he had been feeling bad. It must hurt him if he had decided to cancel tonight. Elena embraced him to give him at least some kind of comfort.

Stefan understood Elena without words. He hated to worry her so he tried to calm her. „It's okay. I'm just feeling dizzy. It's only for few days_." For few days and then you will hate me for the rest of your life_. Stefan had only few days until Elena will hate him. Until these dark brown eyes will look at him full with anger and hatred.

„Can I help you?" Elena just wanted to hold Stefan. She wasn't scared that he would slip and drink human blood again. No, she _believed_ in him. What worried her was that Stefan was feeling bad. She just wanted to make him feel good again. She wanted to help, because that's what she had promised him when he had told her everything. And right now only thing Elena could do was to take away guilt from Stefan of cancelling their plans. „You know, we could, I don't know, watch a movie or something. We don't have to go somewhere. All I need is for you to be here with me."

Stefan couldn't bear this anymore. Lying to her hurt him. But he had to do this to protect her. So he decided that pushing her away would be the best even though it killed him inside. „No!" Elena's face made this even more harder. Stefan lowered his voice so it wouldn't be so harsh. „I just need to be alone. It's better."

„No.. I need to be there, Stefan, I know you are worried about me, but you need my help. I.. I want to help you." But Elena already felt that she was losing.

„You can't help me. Just I.. I need to get home and sleep. I'll be fine. I promise!" Another lie. Another pushing away.

Elena was worried but maybe Stefan was right. Maybe it was better for him to be alone. Elena suddenly realized that blood caused him this pain only now, after they had spent one day apart, so maybe it was her fault. She was always seeking for him, craving for his love. Maybe it was just too much of a pressure she put on him. „Okay, but promise me you're going to call me tomorrow!"

„Yeah, yeah I'll call you!" Stefan had to get out. Get away from her. Because he was losing it. He couldn't keep lying to her.

Elena smiled, but it turned out sad. She was so worried about Stefan. He was acting strange even though he was having problems with blood. It must cause him a lot of pain when the blood get out of his body. Stefan smiled quickly back at her and turned to leave. „Hey, Stefan, wait! I got something for you." And Elena brought him scrapbook that she had gift-wrapped. „Happy Anniversary!" She smiled at him.

„Oh, I.. I didn't bring you my gift. I.." Stefan felt tears coming. This was getting unbearable.

„Don't worry, Stefan. You'll give me it later, when you're going to feel better." Elena said with voice that was filled with love. „_I love you_, Stefan!" And she leaned to kiss him.

They kissed like they always did. Passionately till they had to pull away to get some air. Only this time the kiss scared Elena. It felt like she had kissed him like this before. And this feeling was bad. Stefan looked at her one more time and walked away. Elena was still standing at the open door looking at his back until he disappeared and then sudden realization hit her. They had kissed like this last spring before Stefan had left with Klaus. It was like Stefan was.. Was saying goodbye. Cold shiver went through her body.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was sitting in her bedroom swinging her legs. It was already 11 am and Stefan hadn't called her back. She had tried to hold herself back from calling him first or leaving messages, because she was trying to tell herself that everything was fine and she was just being too paranoid. Stefan was fine. But why hadn't he called her? Elena doubt that he would be sleeping. It was just ridiculous. And Stefan always did what he had promised. So why was he not calling her?

Elena stopped swinging her legs and grabbed her phone. _No_, she is not going to do this. He was _fine_. She put it back. But then she grabbed it again. _Yes_, she had to call him. Her instincts were screaming that something was wrong.

One. Two. Three. „Hello?" Elena let out sigh. It was Stefan's voice. And it seemed that it was steady.

„Hey, I just.. I was worried.. You never called me back.." But Elena already felt ashamed. _God, what was wrong with her?_

„Oh, I'm sorry! I was busy and I totally forgot."

„_Busy_? With what?" Elena asked, but again her voice sounded so suspicious. She was probably getting crazy.

„Oh, I helped Bonnie.. With packs for her garden-party.."

„Oh right! I, ehm, I'm sorry. Ehm, see you there then." Oh, God, Elena felt so stupid.

„Yeah, fine, see you there!" And Stefan hung up.

Elena couldn't tell how incredibly stupid she felt. Geesh, what was wrong with her? She has been worried because of nothing. She felt so ashamed of herself. Though, bad feeling never left her mind. She took a deep breath and decided it was time to get ready for Bonnie's garden-party.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

„Hey! So nice to see you!" Bonnie said with smile welcoming Elena. It was little tradition for her to throw garden-party in the first warm spring day. Though it was always only her and her closest friends. A little get together before final exams.

„Hey!" Elena said but she still felt bad. Her stupid action to call Stefan was ruining her mood. She was mad at herself.

„What's wrong?" Bonnie could feel Elena's horrible mood. „Did something went wrong last night?" She was trying to ask as polite as she could. Maybe Elena had slipped and fell into river or something. Bonnie was in such a good mood today.

„Ugh." Elena didn't even know where to start. „So Stefan was feeling bad yesterday so we cancelled and this morning I was total idiot because I called him to check if he is okay even though he had promised me to call to tell me that he is okay. So I called him first and it turned out he has been helping you with some packs. So now I feel like total freak who has some serious problems with paranoia." Elena was talking so fast it was hard to understand what she was talking about. Bonnie tried to seize the point of the matter. „Wait, what packs?" She had no idea about what packs Elena had been talking about. She hasn't seen Stefan for few days already.

„Stefan wasn't here this morning?" Elena saw Bonnie's surprised face. „He was not here helping you with some packs for garden-party?"

Bonnie bite her lip. She damned the fact she had been asking about packs. Maybe Stefan had surprise or something for Elena. But there was no chance of telling her now so she told her truth. „Sorry, Elena. I haven't seen Stefan since Tuesday. And I didn't need any help with packs.."

„So he lied to me.." Elena was not sure if she was angry that Stefan had lied to her or was she terrified that something was wrong and her instincts were right.

„I guess so.. But I'm sure he had some good reason." Bonnie did not want to believe that Stefan would lie to Elena. Or maybe he was?

Elena felt stunned. Stefan never lied to her about trivia. He lied only when something was wrong. She saw him entering party and it was easy to see that he was hiding something. Though he was smiling, he looked devastated and tired. And maybe even _scared_?

„So you lied to me!" Elena said from back of Stefan. She decided to ask him straight away what was wrong.

„What you are talking about?" Stefan asked with fake smile. He damned himself. Sure it didn't take long for Elena to find out about his lies. So he decided to tell her another lie to explain his first lies. „I'm sorry, Elena. I just woke up this morning and I still felt bad, but I didn't want to worry you, so I lied."

„Stefan.." She cup her hands on his face. He always worried about her. „You should have told me. I'm already worried and I could help you." But she was half glad. Now she blame the bad feeling to that she simply felt Stefan's pain.

It was getting harder and harder. Elena was so sweet to him, it broke his heart that he had to lie to her. „I just didn't want to worry you."

„Hey, Stefan. I'm glad you could make it." Bonnie smiled at him.

Stefan tried to smile back but it just crippled him. Yes, Bonnie was strong and powerful witch and good friend, good person, but also she was so fragile as every human. Stefan couldn't look into her eyes, guilt was already destroying him. He looked at them. One was his friend, another love of his life. And soon he is going to lose both of them. Stefan already knew that he is going to do it quickly. He tried to calm himself with a thought that he will do it fast. Klaus would torture her, make it painful. Stefan thought that maybe he could tell her _why_ he was doing this. He knew that Bonnie would understand that he had no choice. And he knew that she had the biggest heart and that she was so brave. Bonnie had already showed that she was ready to sacrifice her life to save her friends.

But only thinking about it crippled him. He didn't want to do this, but he had no choice, because no matter how much he loved his friend, Elena was _everything_ to him. He knew he is going to lose her, but at least he will give her chance.. By taking it away from Bonnie.

„Stefan? Is everything okay?" Elena saw how Stefan's face had changed from smiling at Bonnie to this crippled, hurt and haggard expression.

Elena's voice brought Stefan back to reality. He steadied his face and whispered. „I'm just not feeling well.. I.. I should go. Yes, it is going to be better if I leave.." Stefan couldn't bear to be here anymore. He felt like traitor.

„I'll go with you!" Elena wanted to be there for him.

„No! You stay here, enjoy this party. Besides _Bonnie _needs you. I'll be fine." Stefan tire out smile. But he was feeling desperate. His _angel_, his _love_, he is going to lose her. This time _forever_.

Stefan pulled her close to him, trying to hold back tears. He was desperately looking into her eyes trying to find something, not knowing what it was. „_Elena_.." He made sure she was looking right into his eyes. „Elena... I just want you to know that everything I have ever done and everything I _will_ do.. It is all for _you_. Because I love you _so_ much and I'm _so_ sorry.." His voice broke off. He is never going to forgive himself.

„Stefan.." Elena felt tears coming down her cheeks. „I love you too." But _this_ feeling was killing her. It felt like he was saying _goodbye_.

Stefan gulp his tears and let her go. He turned his back on her and walked away, feeling miserable. It killed him inside. He knew this was the last time he is going to see her, going to hear her heartbeat, hear her saying those three words. Stefan needed all the strength he had to walk away. His heart was sinking, his body grew numb. When he got out and away from people, he let tears out. He was already hating himself, but thought of _Elena_ hating him, destroyed Stefan.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Elena was standing there looking at how he left. Her body felt numb. She was in panic. The kiss last night and words Stefan had just said to her. It felt like he was saying goodbye and that scared Elena. She took out her phone, not wanting to call _him_, but she didn't see any other choice. _Damon_. If there was someone who could help Stefan, it was Damon. And right now more important that her anger against him was to help Stefan.

She didn't need to wait long. After first peep Damon answered. He sounded exhausted but as always with derisive tone. „Well, well, the precious _Elena_ had called me. Already missed me, baby?"

Elena gulp his derision, there was no time for fighting with him. „I need your help!"

Something in her tone made Damon to stop his jokes and he immediately became serious. „What's wrong? Is there's something wrong with _Bonnie_?"

„No, she's fine. It's about Stefan. I'm worried about him."

Damon let out sigh. It was only his brother. „Oh c'mon, what happned this time? He feels guilty because he killed rabbit?"

„Damon, I'm serious! I need to talk to you! I'm at Bonnie's garden-party. Just come _now_!" And Elena hang up. She was scared Stefan would be already home and could hear them talking.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Damon entered Bonnie's house with his usual smirk. Though Elena sounded serious, he was more enjoying the fact that he was in _her_ house. For the first time.

Light and loud laugh came from kitchen. There _she_ was. In the centre of people. Damon didn't even notice he was smiling. Bonnie had this laugh that made you laugh. She was like a sunshine in the dark. Full with light and goodness. The she looked up and saw him, her face turned dark. She glared at him. Damon smirk and blinked his eyes. He saw her excuse herself and she was coming at him. „Hello, Bonnie." He smiked at her.

„What are you doing here?" Bonnie spat in his face without worrying that it was rude. He didn't deserved her politeness.

„Visiting your party." Damon said with the most angelic face he could make. „Though I guess my invitation got lost in the mail." Damon said smiling at her.

Bonnie wanted to punch him or at least give him headache, but there were people, actual _humans_, around them. She only glared at him. „That's great!" She smiled at him sarcastically. „Now you can go!"

„Oh, Bonnie. I thought it's party." Damon smirked. He was trying to hide his desire to kneel and ask for her forgiveness behind his smirk. Yes, Damon was gotten till the point where he was ready to do everything it took to get her to forgive him. These last three days since she had heard him and Ric talking about dance, she had ignored his calls and messages. In one night Bonnie Bennett had turned Damon's life in hell. He couldn't sleep, eat or do anything else without thinking about her. This feeling annoyed him so much but no matter what he did, she never left his mind.

„Yes, this is party, but only for people who actually _care_ about me." Bonnie retorted. Flame of anger was in her eyes. How dare he came here?

This hurt. Her words hit Damon. It felt like his heart had stopped. Her words strangled him. He cared. Maybe too much. And what annoyed him the most was that there was no one to blame but himself.

„What you are waiting for? Go!" Bonnie spat again. She wanted him gone. She was still mad at herself for trusting him, and hell she hated him. But deep down inside she was just scared that the more he was around her, the more she wanted him to be there. It was easier to be angry, then let Damon explain. Bonnie was scared that he would fool her again and it already hurt so much, she wasn't ready for more.

„I'm sorry, Bonnie, that I didn't tell you, but I called him.." Elena said behind Bonnie's back.

„You did? Why?" Bonnie could swear that she is going to kill Elena if this was some kind of set up for her and Damon.

„There is something wrong with Stefan and he is the only person who can help me. I wish I could avoid meeting him too." That was true. Elena still hadn't forgave Damon for telling Stefan about kiss and also about hurting Bonnie. But now she had to put that away and focus on Stefan.

„Oh okay. You can go talk upstairs. No one is going to interrupt you there. Just do it quickly, I want him _gone_!"

„I'm sorry, am I bothering you?" Damon said bitterly. Bonnie's words hurt and he was annoyed by Elena. She was the one who dragged him here and now she was complaining.

Bonnie glared at him. But there were still guests and she needed to talk to them.

When Elena was sure that she and Damon were away from people ears, she started to talk. „I'm worried about Stefan.."

Damon was pissed so he spat at Elena. „Yeah, yeah, just cut the crap and tell me why did you drag me here?"

Elena shrink. Damon was rude and clearly in bad mood, but she had no one else to ask for help. „He told me that he had stopped drinking human blood but now it all is going out and he feels dizzy. I'm worried about him. What if he starts drinking again?" Elena hated to admit that after today she had doubt Stefan's ability to control himself. He really looked bad and he wouldn't let her help him. He could lose control very easily.

Damon looked at her. Was she serious? _Dizzy_? Where Stefan got this crap from? Vampires didn't feel _dizzy_. This was just ridiculous. But Damon also knew that if Stefan had lied to her, he had some good reason. So he decided to agree with her so she wouldn't notice that she was absolutely wrong about her theory. There was no such a thing as becoming dizzy from not drinking human blood. Besides Stefan had been drinking few drops every day. He was in absolute control. There had to be something else. „Yeah, yeah. It might be true. I'll ask talk with him. Is this all?"

„Yes. But please talk with him and then call me back. I'm really worried." Elena was worried that Stefan might lose control over blood. He had been drinking human blood for months. Cutting it off in one day must be hard. And that was only possible reason she could thought of, why he had been pushing her away. He was just scared for her safety, scared that she is going to see him losing control.

Damon left Elena standing there. He felt that there was something behind these lies and he is going to find out what it was, but before that, he needed to do _something_.

Damon saw Bonnie talking with some guy. Flash of anger went through his body. Who was he? And why was she talking with him? He was not even _charming_. Damon went straight to them. „You!" He glared at the guy. „Leave! Now." Damon said looking into his eyes. Luckily for him this one wasn't using vervain. The guy stood there for few seconds and then just went away like he had lost streaming of thoughts.

Bonnie punched Damon at chest. „What is wrong with you? What are you doing?" Damon must be crazy. First he showed up here, then he compelled people?

Damon grabbed Bonnie and pulled her closer. „What is wrong with me? What is wrong with _you_?" She smelled like lilies. Her perfume disturbed Damon's judgement. She was so _close_ to him, he could feel her heartbeat, her warmth.

Bonnie's heart was racing and she hated it, because she knew Damon could hear it. She hated that _he_ made her heart beat faster. She hated that she felt like _this_ around _him_. And most of all she hated that she _liked_ the strength of _his_ arms holding her.

Damon saw that behind her back there was door that probably was for closet. He opened the door and pulled her inside. It was dark and there was almost no room for both of them. Their bodies were so close to each others, but Damon was still holding her.

Bonnie knew where exactly was light switch. She switched it on and immediately started to fight against Damon. „Let go of me! Let go!" But it was impossible to break his hold. „I swear if you won't gonna let go of me, I'll make your head expl-.." But Damon's lips cut her off. She felt his hold letting her go as he placed one of his hand on her face and another whirled in her hair. Bonnie wasn't sure if she was answering his kiss willingly or her body did it as gut reaction.

Damon pulled away, glanced at her and walked out of closet, leaving Bonnie speechless standing there. He had no idea what he had just done, but it felt good. Hell, he was like in the seventh heaven.

Bonnie was standing there, not sure of what had just happened. She touched her lips as she could feel trail of Damon's lips. Bonnie was still not sure if she was angry or thrilled or both combined together. She got out of closet and saw Damon's back as he left her house. That simple. She touched her lips again and looked up. She saw Elena looking straight at her with astonished smile from the middle of stairs. „Oh My God," Bonnie whispered going to meet Elena who was coming at her too.

„_What_ just happened between you and Damon in the closet?" Elena asked when they were close enough to each other so others couldn't hear.

Bonnie still stunned whispered back. „I have no idea..."

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Damon was not sure what was this feeling inside him but he felt like he would be in the seventh heaven. He only now, after few blocks, noticed that he had been _walking_ his way back home and _smiling _like an idiot. And this weird feeling in his stomach. Like _butterflies_ flying. Damon shook it off. „_Butterflies? Really? Set yourself to rights, Damon Salvatore_!"He mumbled at himself.

Damon shook his head. There was something he had to do. He had to talk with Stefan. He didn't had a time for this lame feeling. Damon frowned. He is going to bury this feeling, though he smirked. Bonnie Bennett was quit a kisser.

„_Jesus Christ, Damon!_" He mumbled again. He had to focus on finding out what was wrong with his brother. But he felt that _this_ feeling won't be so easy to bury.


	9. Chapter 9

~ The Homecoming ~

Chapter 9

By **MySelflessLove**

**I was ill and uninspired and ready to quit this story, but you kept telling me how great is my story and how much you are waiting for new chapter, so I just couldn't quit it. THANK YOU! I kept writing this only because of you guys!**

Stefan was glad that Damon wasn't home. He needed to be alone.

Stefan tried so hard to get Elena out of his mind. But he couldn't. Her eyes looking at his. Her laugh. Her soft lips against his. Stefan realized that he's never going to be able to forget her. He was a vampire and once a vampire loves, it is forever. It felt like his body would torn apart from inside. Everything hurt.

Stefan sat on his bed. He tried to think about something else. _Anything_. He looked around his bedroom. It felt empty. Stefan laughed. This is exactly how everything will be. This was how it already felt like. Emptiness in his room. In his _heart_. Nothing will matter without her. But it could be different. A mad thought ran through his mind. It would still feel empty but it wouldn't hurt, if only he would turn it off. Let the emotions disappear. Let the guilt and the pain disappear. But no. He didn't deserved not to feel. He deserved _this_. He deserved to be haunted by _pain_ and _loss_ and _guilt_ for the rest of his existence.

Stefan's gaze fixed on the box on his desk. A gift. From her. He got up to get it. It was perfectly gift-wrapped. Stefan took a deep breath before opening it. When he opened the gift, he felt cold shiver. _The best moments of my life are with you. _That was the title of scrapbook Elena had made. Gulping tears Stefan opened it. What he saw shocked him. He was ready to see pictures. But this? This was too hard to see. There were pictures of them and.. notes from Elena's diaries. Original little messages she had written in her diaries. Stefan touched the notes and felt tears coming down cheeks. Her original handwriting. The words she had written about him, about them. _Dear diary, today I met a boy. I felt it. The butterflies in my stomach. His name is Stefan Salvatore. And.. There is something about him that allures me. _Stefan closed the book not able to read more than first page. It was too painful. He opened cabinet next to his bed and took out small box. His gift for Elena.

Stefan felt himself dashing against the floor. He opened little black velvet box. The ring was made from silver with two sprays of roses interlacing together and forming into one red rose. The big rose was vermilion with brilliant in the middle of blossom. It was masterpiece. And this ring meant so much to Stefan. It was a gift from his mother. Stefan still remembered the day mother had gave him and Damon the rings. Mother had told them that they had to give the rings to their other half. Through the years and centuries Stefan had lived, he never had anyone he would have wanted to give the ring. It was just too important. In his world, when a man gave a woman a ring, it was forever. In the time Stefan was raised, when you gave it, you gave it to the person who was your other half, your soul mate. Stefan never had that person until he had met _her_. Elena was his other half, his soul mate and last night he had wanted to give her it asking her to promise to be his forever. He understood that world was different now. People didn't marry so young and Stefan didn't want to ask her for that, no, he just wanted her to know that he will wait. Wait till she is going to be ready, because all he wanted was a family, even though he couldn't give her that fully. Stefan wanted to spent the rest of his life with Elena. He loved her more than anything.

Stefan closed the box with ring and felt his heart breaking. Yes, he loved her more than anything and that's why he had to kill Bonnie, that's why he had to step aside, that's why he had to let her have a chance. But he knew that he will never stop waiting, never stop hoping for Elena to forgive him. But she was a human. Humans moved on, even though they say they will never forget. They do. They forget. With years passing memories fade. But he will _never_ forget. Stefan will never forget the sound of her laugh. Her smile. Her dark brown eyes. Stefan will _never_ stop loving her. And that is going to be his punishment.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

When Damon entered Stefan's room, Stefan was sitting on the floor, not even looking up at Damon or showing any kind of sign that he had noticed him. Stefan was just _there_. Something was terribly wrong with his brother. „What's wrong?" But Stefan wasn't answering. „Stefan! What's wrong?" Damon tried again, this time aloud. He flinched when Stefan looked up at him. Stefan's eyes were full with pain.

Somehow Stefan forced himself to speak. He had to make sure Damon doesn't get involved in this. This was his mess to deal with, not Damon's. „I'm not feeling well."

Damon broke into a laugh. „Oh please, you can cut that crap you told Elena..." He noticed that Stefan flinched when he mentioned Elena. „..And tell me what is wrong!"

„I told you, I don't feel well." Stefan said crossly. It was getting easier. He just had to concentrate on anger. It was the only way to escape this pain.

„Oh, right! You feel _dizzy_." Damon said ironically. „The only problem here is that I'm not stupid. Vampires don't feel _dizzy_." Damon wanted to say something sarcastic, but Stefan looked so torn apart, so sad. He just _couldn't_ say anything.

Suddenly Stefan felt so tired. He was tired from all the lies, pain and burden of care. He was tired from saving everyone all the time. All he needed was to be saved. For once in his life. Stefan was simply tired of taking care of everybody. So when Damon hold out his hand, Stefan took it and stood up. „Klaus came here the other day.." Stefan began.

„What that creep wants?" Damon couldn't stand Klaus. Mostly because he was stronger than Damon. And also because he had taken away his little brother and made him turn into monster.

„He wants me to kill Bonnie, otherwise he is going to kill Elena." Stefan felt misgiving that he is going to regret telling Damon about this.

„What?" Damon tried to stay cool, but combination of _killing_ and _Bonnie_ was making him furious. He could swear that if Klaus would be here, he would kill him with his bare hands. He let out sigh. „Why on earth he would do that? Stefan, he is lying. He needs Elena for his pathetic hybrids's hordes."

„No, he doesn't need her anymore. He doesn't.." Desperation was pulling Stefan in. „Don't you understand, Damon? I _have_ to kill Bonnie to save Elena."

„You can't do that!" But Damon didn't want to show his feelings, so he decided to blame it on Elena. „Don't _you_ understand? She will hate you, if you kill her best friend." Damon wasn't so sure if he was talking _only_ about Elena hating Stefan.. Or was it about him and Bonnie.

„I know, but I _can't_ let her die." She will never forgive him, but it didn't matter. As long as she had a chance to live, he was ready to sacrifice everything.

„So instead you're going to kill Bonnie." Damon said bitterly. He didn't really want it to sound so bitter. He knew that Stefan was already hating himself for this. Damon look at his little brother and his heart clenched. Stefan looked like a disaster. Suddenly he reminded Damon of 12 years old Stefan in the kitchen crying over their mother's death. Why Damon had always used Elena to hurt Stefan? Because he knew that Stefan loved her more than anything. Sometimes this love had made him jealous. Stefan had someone to live for, someone to die for. Damon looked at Stefan and he knew that no matter what Stefan is telling himself, no matter how hard he is going to try, he will _never_ get over Elena. Damon couldn't let Stefan lose the reason he lived. He just couldn't. Besides it was his turn to save his little brother. „Hey.." Damon made sure Stefan was listening. „Hey, look at me! We will find the way how to fix this, okay?" _I will. Though you and everybody else will hate me._ Damon added in his mind.

„_This_ can't be fixed.." Stefan whispered, but maybe he needed this. _A hope_. A hope that there _is_ another way around.

„Just.. Set yourself to rights. I promise, I will fix this!" He hugged Stefan. He heard Stefan's tears flowing. In that moment, Damon closed his heart. _You_ will hate me. _She_ will hate me. But it didn't matter. He had to do what he was about to do to save the people he _loved_. Even though they will hate Damon.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Damon entered Bonnie's house. Elena was already waiting for him. He noddle Elena to go upstairs. But before following her, Damon looked at Bonnie, who was saying goodbye to last guests. She felt his gaze and Damon smiled. For the one last time.

When he got upstairs, Elena was walking up and down the room. „I know what's wrong with Stefan."

Elena stopped and let out sigh. She nodded for Damon to continue. She was ready to hear it.

„The problem is not blood. It's Klaus." Damon was getting furious. If only he had a choice to fix this in other way. He clearly didn't care about Elena, but he cared about his brother.

„_Klaus_?" Elena felt flash of fear. He was the only thing that could hurt Stefan. Elena tried not to think of scenarios of what Klaus had done to Stefan. It was too painful to think that Klaus could have hurt Stefan.

„He ordered Stefan to kill Bonnie, otherwise he is going to kill _you_. So Stefan is trying to struggle with this situation. _Alone_." Somehow Damon said it bitterly. He was just so fed up with this.

„What? He can't do that! Stefan can't kill Bonnie!" Elena was panicking, not sure if it was from worry or anger.

„I said the same. But _Stefan_ clearly _can't_ let Klaus kill you, so what's there left?" Damon was getting mad.

„There _has_ to be another way! Damon! We can't let Stefan kill Bonnie!" Elena couldn't believe that Stefan was actually considering this for even one second. But she also knew that he loved her more than anything and he was ready to do no matter what to save her.

„There _is_ another way." Damon said slowly coming towards Elena. Suddenly he grabbed her forcing to drink his blood. When he let her go, she was looking at him with shocked eyes, wiping blood away from her mouth.

„What is wrong with you?" She shouted at him. Damon kept coming slowly towards her and realization hit her. „No, Damon. Please, don't do this!" Terror was building up in her. Elena slowly took steps away from Damon, but she felt her back strike against closet.

„I'm sorry, Elena, but I can't let Stefan kill Bonnie. I can't." Damon was right in front of her.

Elena's eyes filled with tears. „Please, please don't do this!"

„I'm sorry, but this is the only way. Stefan chose you, I choose Bonnie."

In one quick moment Damon grabbed Elena and snap her neck. He let her body to fall out of his hands and on the floor. He stepped back and heard Bonnie and Caroline to ran in the room. He heard girls screaming „Oh my God, No!" and saw them kneeling next to Elena's body. He saw Bonnie to turn around and shout at him „What have you done?" with eyes filled with hatred. But what he didn't expect was sudden jab against the wall.

_Stefan_. He was looking into Damon's eyes with more than just hatred. Stefan's eyes were filled with more than just anger and hatred. It was filled with odium. Damon knew that Stefan was going to hate him after he will find out what he has done, but to see Stefan's eyes right now was unbearable. Damon knew that this wasn't over, when Stefan let him go. Damon looked at Stefan with the expression that said _I hope someday you will be able to forgive me_ and walked away, out of the room, leaving his heart with two people he cared about the most.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Caroline had stayed with Bonnie to help Elena, if that would be needed. They were saying goodbye to last guests, when Damon had come back, obviously with news. Caroline noticed that Damon had this weird smile. It was honest. For the first time Caroline had seen Damon Salvatore smiling, though it was sad smile. And Bonnie had been acting weird too. Caroline tick that she had to ask Bonnie, why did she act so strange.

They were finishing to wash dishes and clean up the place, when Caroline had felt blood. She concentrate to hear what was going on upstairs. When she had heard Elena's entreaty, she knew something was wrong.

Caroline had taken Bonnie's arm and girls had been climbing upstairs. Yes, _climbing_. Because they had been so worried, their legs were entangling. And it was too late when they finally got upstairs.

Elena's body was lying on the floor, her mouth still with blood. And Damon standing right next to her.

Caroline was checking Elena's pulse, trying to do something to get her back to life, but somehow Bonnie was the one who understood first. The blood on Elena's mouth wasn't hers. And she wasn't dead. She was turning into a vampire.

Bonnie turned around to face Damon, who clearly didn't regret nothing. He looked like he had been waiting for this, like he would have known that this will happen. „What have you done?" Was everything Bonnie could say to him. She was just too shocked to feel anything, to do anything. In the next moment, Stefan had appeared punching Damon and jamming him against the wall. Bonnie wasn't sure how Stefan had managed to stop his anger and let Damon to walk, but he did it.

Bonnie turned back at Elena's numb body. Only know she felt her hands shaking and tears coming down her cheeks. She saw Caroline who was looking at Elena with helplessness. But what shocked her was that more than anything it hurt to see Stefan. He knelt next to Elena's body. His face, his eyes were full with unbearable pain. Before turning away she saw how Caroline silently let Stefan hold Elena. Bonnie felt Caroline's arms around her and tears were flowing silently down their cheeks.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan's instincts were screaming that something was wrong when Damon had left. His words. _I promise, I will fix this!_ There was something wrong with them. And then it hit him. It was like bolt of lightning. A sudden worry and pain hit him. It was like half of Stefan had died. He could feel the pain and the fear. But they weren't his. They were _Elena's_.

Stefan was running as fast as possible but he wasn't fast enough. He knew that, he felt that. His mind was racing. He already knew what had happened. What _Damon_ had done. Stefan punched his brother and jammed him against the wall, but he had no strength to fight.

Stefan knelt down and Caroline let him hold _her_. He held _her_ head, slowly stroking Elena's hair. In this very moment, Stefan felt dead. Technically he has been dead for 148 years, but right now he felt his mind to fade away, his soul grew stiff, his heart sink. Righ in the moment when Elena's heart had stopped beating, Stefan had died again. He couldn't feel anything. Pain. Fear. Grief. Anger. It was all away. Only _emptiness_.

His mind started to work again, when she wasn't waking up. Stefan had no idea how long he had been holding her, but it felt like forever. There was no move, no sound. Only her numb body in his hands. Slowly his mind was starting to race. Why wasn't she waking up? What if.. What if Elena being doppelganger and part of supernatural world, meant that she couldn't become a vampire? No, Katherine did become, so can Elena. But what if Damon didn't give her enough of his blood? What if it was too few? Questions were coming and coming as avalanche that was about to crush Stefan. Then he felt tiny move...

„_Elena_? Honey, please wake up! Please!" Stefan whispered holding Elena closer to him and kissing her forehead. For one split second Stefan thought that maybe he had just imagined her moving. „C'mon, honey, you can't leave me!" He whispered eyes filled with tears.

And then she woke up. Elena sit up so fast that her head should turn giddy. She grabbed her neck with hands trying to breathe. It felt like there was not enough air in her lungs. She took deep breaths and turned to Stefan crying „I had the worst nightmare.. Damon fed me with his blood and then he .. He .." But she looked into Stefan's eyes. They were filled such a pain she had to turn away. She saw her friends looking at her helplessly, but at the same time with relief in their eyes. And then she understood. „No! No!" Elena cried tears bursting out of her eyes. She felt Stefan's arms around her, keeping her close to his chest. She turned to him and cried „No, Stefan, tell me this is not true! Tell me!" But he whispered back „I'm so sorry, Elena!". She looked in his eyes for one last hope but they were so helpless. She buried her head in his shirt and cried.

Elena was crying till she felt that there were no tears left. She slowly perk her head and looked at Stefan. She was speechless. It was like she would see him for the first time. Like she would have been blind all this time. He was so _beautiful_. His eyes deep as ocean, his eyelashes black as night and so long, but the pain she saw in his eyes clenched her heart until she realized she didn't feel it. She couldn't feel it. Panic flashed all over her. She grabbed her hand and put it where her heart should be beating. Nothing. Not a single beat. She slowly looked up at him hoping that he would be smiling, that he would be telling that this is only a nightmare. But his eyes were still filled with pain, but there was something else. Concern.

„Elena.." Stefan started not wanting finish his sentence. „You.. You have to.. You have to drink human blood to finish transition." He looked into her eyes, trying to find something that would tell him how she felt. But her look turned blank as she realized what he was telling her.

„No.. I can't.. I.." Elena felt like she was in the worst nightmare. She still tried to find the way how to wake up from this nightmare.

„You have to.. Otherwise you are going to.. _die_." For the first time one of the girls started to talk. It was Caroline. Her voice was shaking.

Elena turned to see her friends for the first time. She saw Caroline, her face showed that she _understood_ how it was, how it felt. Bonnie. She was looking at Elena with painful expression. But what shocked her most was that Bonnie slowly, numb from kneeling so long on the floor, came to Elena holding her arm out for her and rolling up sleeve.

Elena flinched when she realized what was her friend doing. „No! I can't, Bonnie!" She cried making sure she steps back.

„Yes, you can." Bonnie said with her old tone which she used when she needed someone to do something for her. Steadiness and determination.

Elena looked back at Stefan and he nodded. „I'll make sure you won't hurt her." He promised.

Elena looked back at Bonnie and hand she was holding out. Suddenly she could hear Bonnie's heart bumping blood and she smell blood in her veins. No matter that before one moment Elena hadn't wanted to even think about it, now all she could think of was Bonnie's wrist. She couldn't control herself. Her body slowly, as a snake stalking her prey, leaned towards Bonnie. Elena's eyes were fixed on vein. And then flash of pain hit her. She grabbed her mouth trying not to scream. She felt almost unbearable pain. And then she felt them. Fangs. But again nothing mattered. Now she wanted blood more than ever. Thirst was burning her throat.

Elena took a breath before biting vein. It all felt absolutely different than she had imagined. Biting vein was like biting an apple. It was not hard at all and once you took a bite, you could feel bracing juice that made you want to get another bite. Instead of juice Elena felt sweet, thick blood flowing in her mouth. One thing was same. She wanted more and more. The more blood was flowing in her mouth, the greater and also excruciating thirst become.

She felt someone grabbing her and pulling her away from blood. It was gentle touch but also strong, very, very strong. Her instincts told her that it was dangerous to fight this touch and also something deep down her subconsciousness told her that it was no need to fight it, because she knew who had this hold. _Stefan._

„It's enough, it's enough." Stefan whispered wiping away blood from her mouth. He smiled at her proudly and Elena couldn't begin to explain how that made her feel. Stefan was proud of her. That means she did something right. She felt like a kid, but it was so good to see him smiling at her.

Elena gasped. Her mouth was filled with something that burned. _Oh God_, it hurt so much. Spasms took over her body. She grabbed to her neck trying to breathe. Everything burned. It felt like flash of fire inside of her body. She saw Stefan's worried face and he was saying something to her but she couldn't hear anything over this loud noise. Then Elena realized it was her. She was _screaming_.


	10. Chapter 10

~ The Homecoming ~

Chapter 10

By **MySelflessLove**

**A/N I'm so sorry for lack of updates! It took me forever to write this chapter, but well, I'm half pleased with it and this happens rarely. As always, I hope you will enjoy it! & Thanks for patience! :) **

Elena was screaming in agony till liquid, that burned her body, took away ability to do it. Now she was just gulping and gasping for air. A thought, that she didn't needed to breathe, came into her head, but her human instincts were still stronger than that. Elena saw Stefan's face, so _beautiful_, like an angel, and he was saying something. But she couldn't hear it. „Stefan.." She tried to whisper through gasping and pain that never left. „It _hurts_ so much.. It .. _burns_ me!" Elena cried. Another outcry. Her new instincts that were much stronger than her human ones, made her fight. Suddenly her eyes burst open and she could see and she could hear.

She heard Bonnie shouting in desperation. „Stefan! It's vervain! I've been drinking vervain and it was in my blood..." Her voice slowly fade away. Elena saw her friend's face. Bonnie felt guilty for forgetting about this important thing. Elena was screaming in agony because of vervain, because of Bonnie.

Bonnie didn't get to finish when Stefan was already ordering for Caroline to hold Elena back. Elena felt Caroline's arms strongly holding her body. What where they doing? Another flash of pain blurred Elena's mind. She looked at Stefan who was leaning to kiss her. _No! No! No! Why was he kissing her?_ Elena was shouting, but only in her mind.

And then she felt it. Excruciating pain when Stefan's lips met her neck. She was trying to tear herself away from Stefan and his hold, but he was too strong. _Why was he doing this? Why was he tortuing her like this?_ Elena felt tears coming down her cheeks. She slowly resign herself, because there was no point in fighting. He was _too_ _strong _and she was _too weak_. Darkness slowly pulled her in.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan pulled back from Elena's neck, feeling burning in his own mouth. „It's all out. It's all out." He whispered. Caroline let go of Elena, who wasn't fighting anymore. „Caroline, go and get blood banks! Now!" He ordered.

„Can I do something to _help_?" Bonnie whispered. How could she forget? Elena was in agony and maybe even still felt pain because of her. Because she had forgotten about vervain in her blood.

„It's better if you go, Bonnie." Stefan looked at girl. She was exhausted and felt guilty. „It's going to be better if there won't be human around, when Elena will wake up.." Stefan explained.

Bonnie nodded. She had already put Elena through pain, she was ready to do anything to make her feel better.

„Bonnie... You could do _something_."

„Anything!" Bonnie shout back. She was ready to do anything to take away the pain she had caused for Elena.

„First, cover the window. Make sure there is no way that sun can get in this room." Stefan watched while Bonnie carefully cover window. „Can you make daylight ring for her?"

„Yes! Of course." Bonnie was glad that she could help Elena somehow. „But, Stefan.. I can make only one ring for each vampire. I thought .. Maybe you have something special.. I.."

Stefan immediately tought of little black velvet box in cabin in his bedroom. „Bonnie, could you go to my house?" Bonnie nodded and Stefan continued. „Go to my room. Next to my bed, there is cabin. In the second drawer there is going to be litle black velvet box. Take that.."

Bonnie nodded, repeating instruction in her head. „Okay, I'll go get it!"

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Bonnie was outside the boarding house praying that she won't meet Damon. Mostly because there was no time to kill him, but also because after everything he had done she wanted to hate him, and she told herself that she hates him, but somewhere deep down inside her heart, she couldn't do it. Bonnie felt weak and she hated this feeling, especially because she felt weak around Damon.

She took deep breath before entering boarding house. Maybe she will be lucky enough to skip meeting him. But when she was about to go upstairs she saw him. He was sitting and slowly sipping whiskey. She was glad that it he was siting his back turned on her and though she knew he heard her, she hoped that he would let it go.

Bonnie was repeating Stefan's instructions but when she got till his room it was unnecessary. Stefan's room was huge but perfectly clean and it was easy to find cabin. She opened second drawer and saw small box. Bonnie took it but resist her desire to open it. Somehow she felt like it was something personal and not for her to look at. Though she would see it anyways, but now, in Stefan's room, she felt like she has already encroached on his personal life.

She carefully put the small box in her bag and went downstairs. She looked at Damon for one more time and turned around to go back to her car when she heard his deep voice. „Leaving without saying goodbye?" Damon said with his uausal smirk but somehow with sad tone. Or maybe Bonnie was just imagining that Damon would feel sorry for what he did. He probably wasn't and it was time for her to stop thinking that he was sorry, because he wasn't.

Bonnie just glared at him. Whenever she saw him she always became furious. And she got angry when he continued. „No thanks?" He glared at her back. Well actually he wasn't glaring, he was mocking her and that annoyed her even more.

„Oh right! Thanks for killing my best friend!" Bonnie spat back. She knew she shouldn't waste her time fighting with him but somehow she stayed.

„I was saving you!" Damon shout, placing his glass back on table with more strength that it was needed. He stood up glaring at her now for real.

„Saving me? How dare you lie like this? Be a man and at least admit what you did!"

„Oh, so Stefan didn't tell you?" When Damon saw Bonnie's confused face he continued. „That Klaus came to him and he ordered him to kill you otherwise that creep would kill Elena? Guess which girl chose Stefan?" Damon was challenging.

Bonnie was trying to process what Damon had just said. „I don't understand. Why then you did it? Why did you had to turn Elena?"

„To save you!" Damon shouted but more softly. He just wanted her to forgive him. He just wanted her. „And also to save my brother. He needs Elena." Just like I need you.

„It was wrong! Elena never wanted to be a vampire. She wanted future! You took it from her!" Bonnie yelled at damon. He was surprised. He had thought that Bonnie would understand, but she still thought that he was just evil. But then flame of anger flash through his mind.

„Oh, and it doesn't bother you that for Elena to have future, that would mean for you to lose it?"

„She's my best friend. Yes, I would die for her!"

„I can't believe this!" Damon said smirking. „Do you even hear what you are saying?" He was now standing so close to her he could hear her heartbeat. „Why is everyone always ready to die for the _precious_ Elena?"

„Because that's what people do when they actually care for each other. They are ready to sacrifice everything to save their beloved ones."

„And you think I wouldn't do that?" Damon whispered, hurt that Bonnie thought of him so low.

Bonnie fought desire to throw herself in his arms and spit out „Why did you do this? Why did you so-called saved me?"

Damon looked at her, no, he stared into her green eyes, trying to find something that would give him a hope that she didn't really mean to ask him this. „Because I care about you.." He said with resentful tone.

„Oh really?" Bonnie shouted. She was loosing her head over him, so she had to do say something bitter, before she does something stupid. Like kissing him. „You know what, Damon? When people _care_ about about you, they don't hurt you." Bonnie said and turned around to go away, leaving Damon hurt. She was trying to hold back tears. She didn't want him to hear her crying. She blame the tears on today's feeling, telling herself that she wasn't crying because she didn't want to hurt him.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Elena slowly opened her eyes. It was dark in the room but somehow she was able to see everything. It almost was like her new clear vision would make her blind. Everything was so bright and Elena could see every little piece, every detail of ceiling. She was looking at ceiling when she realized that she knows this room, this exact beige board ceiling. She was in Bonnie's room.

Elena breathed in and she was astonished. She could smell scent of first spring leaves and she could hear that the buds were bursting. Elena closed her eyes and slowly opened them again. No, she wasn't outside. She was still in Bonnie's room. Slowly memories were coming back. She was in Bonnie's room when Damon had came. They had talked and then he had attacked her and then darkness pulled her in. Later she had woken up and the next thnigs were in blur. All Elena could remember was excruciating pain that hit her body more and more. Elena flinched from bad memories. But something was wrong. Something, no, _someone_ was missing. Elena got up and she realized that her movement was way too fast and she supposed to turn giddy, but she felt good. Only now she realized that someone was sitting in the armchair next to the bed. Someone who was missing. _Stefan_.

Elena automatically smiled. Whenever she thought of him, she had to smile. She crawled back in the bed to be closer to him. But when she saw him, she got speechless. He was so beautiful. But yet he looked exhausted. Elena leaned to touch his face but stopped when she saw her own hand. Her skin was different. It was _perfect_. Only yesterday she had little wound from when she had cut her finger with knife while cooking, now it was gone. Her nails was in perfect form like she had just got a manicure. Elena slowly touched her face. Her fingers slide across her face down her neck and she stopped there were it was supposed to be wound. It was also gone. Elena sigh. It hadn't been nightmare. She _was_ vampire.

Stefan sigh. He hadn't showed any sign that he was alive ever since Elena had woken up. And when she did he didn't dare to move or even breathe. He was worried that he would scare her. He looked at her eyes filled with love. From studying Elena for years, he knew exactly what she felt. He could read from her eyes that she _knew_ and understood what irreversible process had happened. And though he was 165 years old vampire, he was scared to ask her how she felt. He was scared from her reaction because there was pretty big chance that she hated him. And why wouldn't she? He had let his brother hurt her in the way that no cure would help. Stefan knew that Elena had never wanted to be a vampire and that he hadn't saved her from becoming one. He had came too late and Stefan knew that he will never forgive himself that.

Elena was looking at Stefan, following his every move, every breath, every glance. She wished she knew how to read him, but she never did. He was always the one who knew exactly how she felt. And now Elena wished that he would say something. _Anything_. She just wanted to hear his voice, because his voice had always calmed her down. Stefan always knew what to say to comfort her. The more Elena was trying to study Stefan, the more something like a flame was burning in her body. It didn't hurt her, no, not like the flame before who had caused pain. No, this flame was different. Elena was trying to find the word that would describe it, because she felt like she had known this feeling before, only then it had been weaker.. Or she hadn't been able to feel it the way she did now.

It was unbearable to watch her to sink into reversie. Stefan was dying to find out what she was thinking. „What you are thinking about?" Stefan carefully whispered. There was no need to speak loud anymore and also he didn't want to scare her.

In the moment, Stefan spoke Elena knew what she was feeling. His voice gave it all a sense. Flame that was burning in her body was blazing now. It was _lust_. Elena giggled, feeling like a lame teenage girl who had a crush on older boy. „About you." Elena said amazed by her voice. It was crystal clear. But suddenly her memories were coming back again. His voice showed part of the memory her mind was blocking. _Caroline, hold Elena from back! I'll get it out!_ Those were last words Elena had heard before excruciating pain had taken over her mind and body. „You bite me." Elena whispered so quietly, no human would hear her.

Stefan leaned to take Elena's hand but she pulled away before she could think that there was no reason to pull back. Stefan won't hurt her. When she saw his face she wished she could take that moment back. He was hurt by this simple gesture. Elena was angry at herself and her stupid instincts. And before she could take his hand, he was already pulling back whispering. „Don't be scared, I won't hurt you. I promise!"

„I know!" Elena cried in desperation. She couldn't think of the way to show him that she knew this. It hurt her to see Stefan like this. „I just..I don't know why I did it! Stefan! I don't know how to feel or what to do.. I just .. I.." Elena was now crying. Her emotions changed so fast. She was crawling to his way, because all she wanted was for him to hold her. Elena sigh through tears when she felt his arms around her. Though she was still sobbing, tears disappeared as fast as they had came. She now felt him the way she had never before. Elena was surprised by the fact that it seemed like he was even stronger than she had thought. Also his scent was alluring her. Elena bent back so she could study him better. She let her fingers slide down his chest feeling every muscle. She felt his automatic movement towards her when she touched him. Elena may be vampire for few hours, but she already knew some things like that vampires sometimes couldn't control their bodies. They just leant towards or pulled back, like she had pulled away her hand.

Elena leaned to kiss Stefan when sudden knock interrupted them. Elena immediately turned her head on door, squeezing Stefan. Elena felt her senses rising high as in protection. Now she wasn't only ready to protect herself. She had someone else to protect. _Stefan_. The only person that was more important than anything.

Doors opened and Caroline smiling slowly came in. „Hey..". Elena sigh. There was no need to protect herself or Stefan from Caroline. Elena smiled back at her friend, showing her that she can come in. „How are you feeling?" Caroline calmly asked.

„I don't know..." Elena whispered. That was true. She really had no idea how she felt. Emotions were changing so fast. From confused to angry to sad to happy to confused again. Elena raised eyebrow when Stefan moved. He chuckle when he saw her reaction and explained. „I'll let you two talk."

„Don't leave me!" Elena cried, though she wanted to talk with Caroline, after all she had so many questions and some of them she was scared to ask Stefan. She wasn't scared from his reaction, she was scared that her questions would hurt him again. But only a thought of Stefan not here, with her, scared her more than anything.

„Don't worry! I'll be downstairs." Stefan promised. He knew that Elena would like to talk with Caroline and also he needed to talk with Bonnie.

„Okay, just don't go anywhere!" Elena said trying to be convincing. Stefan smiled at her and disappeared behind door. Elena sigh and turned to Caroline, who was sitting on the bed next to her.

Elena sat down on the bed. She was biting her lip and playing with her nails. She wanted to ask so many things, but somehow words didn't came.

„You know you can ask me anything." Caroline finally spoke. „Or.. If you need, we can just sit here."

„I.. I have so many questions.. I don't know with what to start.." Elena wanted to know what had happened while she was, well, in unconsciousness and also what was that liquid that burn her body and also what Stefan had done when he bite her. „So what exactly happened after I.. After Damon.. After he.." Elena took a dep breath. „After he killed me?"

„Well, I and Bonnie were washing dishes when I heard you scream.. We ran upstairs but you were already on the floor.. Unconsciousness." Caroline refused to say _dead _because that word scared her. She didn't really like to think that she was dead too. „Well and then things happened so fast. I was trying to get you back to life and then Stefan showed up and he literally jabbed Damon in the wall. I was surprised he didn't rip his head off in that moment, but well I guess there was more important to make sure you're.. _okay_." Caroline stopped to see Elena's reaction, but it seemed like she can take it. After all, the worst part was only coming. „So I don't know how long it took for you to wake up. I and Bonnie we were just holding each other and Stefan was holding you. I don't know, but it felt like hours. Then you woke up and.. And then Bonnie gave you blood.." Caroline stopped again to check Elena's face when she mentioned blood. Elena flinched as if she was scared from it. Caroline was surprised, in the beginning she had always felt thirst whenver someone mentioned blood. „So then you had attack because of vervain and from the start we couldn't understand what was happening. Stefan was trying to ask you but all you did was scream." Now Caroline had to flinch. She will never be able to forget Elena's screams. She shook it off and continued. „Well and then.. Then, when we finally found out that it was vervain that caused you such pain, and then Stefan did something incredible." Caroline was still stunned. She had gotten vervain in her veins three times and it hurt like hell. She couldn't understand how Stefan was able to do it without flinching.

Elena was listening carefully to every detail Caroline was telling her. She still didn't know why Stefan had bite her. Didn't he knew how much pain that caused? „And then?" Elena asked, bringing Caroline back to reality.

„Oh sorry, I just got lost in my mind." Caroline smiled. But she saw Elena's voice and realized that her friend didn't understood. „_Elena_, Stefan bite you to suck out vervain out of your body. It was incredible, because vervain hurt your body, your mind so much it is unbearable to feel something besides pain, but you know that.." Caroline's voice fade away.

Elena couldn't believe what she had just heard. Also she couldn't believe she hadn't thought about this herself. She remember the pain when Stefan bite her, but now she remember how that burning inside her body left her. Stefan had drain off vervain, taking away her pain. Elena become numb. She had seen Stefan once getting vervain in his body. He had collapsed. And Elena now knew the pain vervain caused for vampires. And Stefan had suffer it all to take away pain from her. It was moving her to tears, but also she felt shame. She had thought so many thoughts, but never that Stefan may done it to _save_ her. But then icy shiver hit her. Once Elena had staked Stefan with vervain. It was to save him, but Elena never knew what kind of pain that caused. She realized that guilt will follow her. _Forever_.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan found Bonnie sitting in the kitchen and crumbling piece of cake. Bonnie looked up when Stefan sit in front of her. „How is she?" Bonnie was just worried that her stupidity may have caused irreversible damage for Elena. Also she wanted to see her friend so badly, but both, Stefan and Caroline, had said that it was better of she stayed away from Elena. She just wanted to hug her friend, be there for her.

„She's okay. There is still a lot to do, a lot to process for her, but she is doing well." Stefan saw Bonnie's sad smile and added. „Don't blame yourself. You just wanted to help."

„Yeah, and what happened?" Bonnie said bitterly. She knew that Stefan will try to convince her that it wasn't her fault, so she changed subject. „I made daylight ring for her.." Though Bonnie didn't know how to talk about it either. She had seen the ring. It was beautiful and obviously something more than just a ring to give as present. It was _engagement ring_.

Stefan gulped. He had no idea what would happen with him and Elena now, though she had acted as she would still love him. „Thanks!" He whispered, taking small box from Bonnie.

She was looking in Stefan's eyes for a moment. Month ago she had accused him for being murderer, now she saw that he loved Elena more than anything. Bonie wanted to give him some kind of support, to show Stefan that she supported him in this. „It's beautiful. The ring, I mean." Stefan smiled and she smiled back. „Besides I didn't show it to Caroline. Knowing how she can't shut her mouth, I thought it would be bigger surprise if Elena wouldn't know about it." Stefan laughed. Bonnie wasn't sure why she said it. But words kind of just came without her controlling them. „She would say _yes_, you know." Stefan looked up at her, surprised by what Bonnie had just said. He looked at her and nodded as checking that she meant it.

They were sitting like that for a moment when something came to Bonnie's mind. Something she wanted to know, but at the same time she was scared to find out. „Stefan, can I ask you something?"

„Sure, anything you want." But intuition was already telling him what Bonnie wanted to know. What she deserved to know.

Bonnie took deep breath before asking. „So when I was looking for a ring, I met Damon and.. He told me that he had.. That he had changed Elena to protect me. He said that Klaus had came and that he had threaten you to kill Elena if you wouldn't kill me.. I.. I just wanted to know what part of Damon's story is true.."

Stefan looked at Bonnie. This brave young woman, who meant so much to his brother. He could see why Damon had feelings for her, even though he refused to admit it. „It's true and I'm really sorry that I considered that. I was desperate and, well, scared. But Damon was telling you truth."

It hit her. She was ready to hear that Damon had lied to her to blame this on her. It hit her that he had actually told her truth.

Stefan was observing Bonnie. „I'm really sorry! I understand if you would want me out of here."

Bonnie was brought back to reality, back to the life where Damon didn't care. Yes, she spitefully kept telling herself that there was nothing good about him. „Oh, no..ehm, don't worry about it! I understand, why you wanted to do it. You know that I would do anything to save Elena." Stefan smiled and they were sitting like that in silence. „Stefan.." Bonnie saw that he looks up at her, trying to figurē out if she had been talking or what. She chuckled. „You know, I think you should go home and get some rest. You look, well, _terrible_." But they both laughed. Bonnie thought how different it was with Stefan than it was with Damon. She didn't need to wonder why Elena loved Stefan so much. With him you felt safe and it even though things were bad, it was light atmosphere.

Stefan looked down at himself. His shirt was smeared with blood and he hadn't feed for days. Actually ever since Klaus had came by. But he had promised Elena not to leave her and he is not going to break that promise. „I know I don't look my best, but I can't go. I promised Elena not to leave her."

„That would be like only for twenty minutes. Besides I think.." Bonnie started to regret that she had talked about this. It was awkward to talk about it. „I think you will have to teach Elena al ot.. And Caroline brought those blod banks.. And.. I just think you should be under control before you teac her that."

Stefan considered that. Bonnie was right. Elena needed to learn control and Stefan had to be perfectly okay with human blood in front of him, but without feeding for days it may be complicated. Also he knew Elena. His look would only worry her and the last thing she needed right now was to worry about him. „Maybe I could go and be back after few minūtes..." Though leaving Elena was the last thing he wanted right now.

„I think it's going to be just fine. Caroline is with her now, she won't even have to know that you were gone. We'll take care of her, I promise!" Bonnie just hoped she might manage to see Elena. She knew it was dangerous but she really needed her friend and Elena needed her.

Stefan was thinking about it for a moment and then finally gave up. It would take him maximum twenty minutes but it would make so many things easier. „I'll be right back. Don't tell Elena anything!"

„Can't she just.. _hear_ us?"

„Not exactly. You hear only when you are listening and right now she is talking with Caroline, paying attention to her, not us. Besides she's still.." Stefan stopped here. He didn't want to use these words, but there was no other choice really. He had to face the truth. „..She is still new. Her.. _ability_ to hear, see and smell is not as high as, for example, mine."

Bonnie nodded. She was trying to avoid conversations about Elena and her new abilities just as much as Stefan. It was lame but Bonnie just thought that as long as she doesn't say it aloud it isn't really happening. She knew it as time to face the reality. But she just hoped that maybe, just maybe this is only her nightmare and she will wake up and everything will be the way it was.

Bonnie looked up at realzied that while she had loat in her mind, Stefan was gone. She sigh. It is going to be hard, but she was ready to be there for Elena. She was already not forgiving herself that she avoided Caroline when she became vampire, she had to hep Elena in any way she could.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan, reaching for door-handle of boarding house, only now realized that he had to face Damon. He took a deep breath, telling himself that he will ignore his brother, because he was not ni the mood to fight and there was no time.

Luckily Stefan got till his room without seeing Damon anywhere aound. He changed in new clothes and looked around trying to think if he needed something to take with him. He decided to take another shirt and fresh pair of jeans and also he sigh when he put black velvet box in his bag. He still wanted Elena to have it, though he won't tell her why he had chosen this ring in the first place. It didn't matter now. No one of it did.

Stefan decided that there was no sense in staying ni his room for any longer. It was still _empty_ and it reminded him of that feeling he had only few hours ago. He went down to basement to take pack of blood.

_Yes, this was definitely a good idea_, Stefan thought when he finally felt red liquid flowing through his veins. Bonnie was right. He needed to be under control when he would show Elena how to stop. Stefan put down empty pack and closed his eyes. He could feel it. Strength taking over his body. This was one of the many reasons vampires feed. The feeling you get when strength is literally flowing through your veins, your body was indescribable. And it was dangerous. Because soon you got used to it and then you don't want it to leave you. Ever again.

Stefan was thinking of how to better explain everything to Elena, how to actually teach her everything Lexi has once taught him. He was passing by hall when he heard deep voice, that was broken and hoarse, calling for him. Damon. But Stefan ignored him and kept walking trying to hold himself from stopping and beating the crap out of Damon.

Stefan was almost out of boarding house when he heard Damon climbing after him. _Nice_. He was drunk. Stefan didn't know why but he turned aorund to face Damon. He looked like a disaster. „Stefan..hey... how is she? How is Elena?"

That was the last drop. He dare to ask about her? „How do you think she is, huh?" Stefan shouted dashing Damon against the wall. He was so angry he could kill Damon. But Stefan knew why Damon had done it and he also knew that he wasn't an angel either. Stefan let Damon and said „You should have told me what you were doing."

„Yeah, right! Like you would ever agree with me." Damon was still choking.

„I would. I'm sorry about Bonnie, I was desperate and I couldn't see other choice, but you could have told me. I would have talked to Elena, explain her.. You _forced_ this on her." Again the more Stefan thought about it the more frustrated he became.

„Well I did what I had to do and I regret nothing." Damon saw Stefan's eyes flashing with anger, but before he could say something, Damon cut him off. „I'm just tired that you all are ready to die for Elena! Who is she? _Princess_? Screw it! Besides now _no one_ has to die. It was time for her to make some sacrifice instead of waiting for everyone to save her. And deep down inside you feel the same. Just admit it, Stefan, admit that you are _happy_ that she is like you. It makes things more easy and you know it."

„I have always wanted to be with her forever, but she didn't. And now, when she is going to hate me, how the things can be _easy_? Huh?" Stefan knew that sooner or later Elena will hate him.

Damon was_ surprised_. „What? She hates you? No, she can't! She.. she has to love you, that's how it supposed to be. You two supposed to have life of eternity together." Damon refused to believe that his plan of saving his brother's life had failed. He did not sacrificed so many things so Elena would hate his brother.

Stefan looked at his brother who was drunk and talking non-sense. Stefan closed his eyes. Now he understood it completely. But _why_? Why would Damon be so stupid? „So that's what it is about? Big brother saving his little one? Oh God, Damon, how stupid you can sometimes be.." This was just tragic. But now Stefan had no one else to blame but himself.

He left Damon standing there. Stefan just needed to get away. This was all his fault. But there was only one thing that was more important than anything now. Elena. Stefan realized that all he wanted was to see her. He didn't even care if she is going to hate him. As long as he can be near her, he is going to be happy. To be honest, Stefan simply missed her. Ever since Klaus came, he had avoided her, not realizing how much it actually hurt him. They had spent last month togehter all the time, but it was not enough. It _never_ was. Stefan always craved for Elena.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

When Stefan walked in her kitchen, she let out sigh of relief. „Thank God! Where have you been?" Bonnie was starting to worry. Stefan was never late. She just had some bad thoughts about him kidnapped by Klaus and so on.

„Is everything okay? Where is Elena?" Stefan would never forgive himself if something wrong had happened with her while he had been gone.

„No, no, everything's fine. They are still upstairs. I was just worried that you were kidnapped by Klaus or something.." When she thoguht about it now, Bonnie felt lame.

„Oh, no." Stefan laughed. „I just met Damon.." He saw Bonnie's reaction, but didn't said anything. They had to work things out without someone interrupting. „So I'll go check on them.."

„Hey, Stefan!" Bonnie felt like this is the worst reason ever, but she had no other choice. „Ehm..It's almost 7pm and it's just that my dad is going to be home from work and I.. I don't think that it would be good if Elena is still here.. I just.." Oh God, she felt like the worst friend ever. But she has been doing everything to keep her father out of supernatural world. She knew from Elena's experience that it was no good to tell your family about it.

„Oh, no, don't worry! I get it. Besides it would be better if Elena would be in her own house. Makes things.. _easier_."

Bonnie nodded. Stefan was going upstairs and that meant that soon she is going to see Elena again. _New_ Elena. That frighten her.

**A/N I would really like to know your thoughts on this chapter. Though there are some parts I wanted to write differently. And, oh, in next chapter you will see unexpected help from very beloved character.**


	11. Chapter 11

**~ The Homecoming ~**

**Chapter 11**

**By ****MySelflessLove**

**A/N As you know, I gave up on this story. I simply couldn't find inspiration, but then I received such a wonderful review and I couldn't not to continue this story. Please, KisCsillag, contact me on twitter (MySelflessLove) or YouTube (MySelflessLove)! I want to thank you in person, because without your wonderful review, I would never find my inspiration back! I finished this chapter only because of you! THANK YOU SO MUCH for your incredibly sweet words! Enjoy!**

**P.S. This supposed to be longer, but I was dying to upload it, so you will see more soon! I promise! ;)**

„I hope I'm not interrupting!" Stefan said with soft smile. Girls were sitting on bed, Stefan noticed that Elena was avoiding eye contact with him. „Bonnie's dad is going to be home soon and she thought it's better if we take off before he gets back from work.." Caroline as usual smiled like sunshine. She literally light up the room with her always positive mood. „Elena, are you ready to go home?" Caroline was so excited as someone would get married or something.

_Home_. That sounded comforting, but Elena was scared to stay alone. She could ask Caroline, but she didn't want her. No, she wanted Stefan. All she wanted was Stefan. And she _neede_d him. But why would he waste his time helping her? Elena wanted to cry, but luckily it was easier to hold tears when you were vampire. So instead she faked smile. „Sure! Home sounds good." _Oh God, please don't let me be alone!_

„Oh, we should go. Now!" Stefan could hear Bonnie's dad's steps outside the house. He was early.

„I'll go and act like I'm here helping Bonnie to clean up after party. You two.. find the way how to get out." Caroline said and run out of room. They could hear her welcoming Mr. Bennett with huge smile. Caroline was the best actress.

Elena was pissed at herself. How could it be that she didn't heard him? She felt so miserable because she had no idea how to _use_ her new power.. Or how to be vampire at all. „What we are gonna do? I doubt that I can go and walk by him..." Elena decided not to breathe. Just in case.

Stefan was smiling and that confused Elena even more. „Well, we will have to jump then." He walked up to window slowly checking if sun was down, even though he had just came back and it was dark outside. After he had made sure that sun was set he opened window and turned back to Elena holding out his hand.

Elena was just standing there, rooting to the ground. Was Stefan serious? Jump out of the window? They were on second floor and Bonnie lived in this old styled house where second floor actually meant third floor for houses that they built these days. It was high.

Stefan bursted into laugh. Elena looked like he had just asked her to kill him. He remembered that she was scared from heights even though she always said she wasn't.

„Don't laugh at me!" Elena shouted. „You are the one who is asking me to _jump_ out of the window." This was just unreal. It was dark outside and he wanted to jump out of windows.

Stefan sigh. Elena was so cute when she was this serious. He didn't want to remind her that she was vampire and second floor was nothing to be scared of, so instead he did what he always does. He embraced her to protect her. „Don't be scared, I'll protect you."

Elena was slowly realizing where she was and who she was. This was just lame. Why was she scared? Now nothing could hurt her. „No, you go first, so you can catch me if I trip on windowsill." They both chuckle and Stefan blinked and then he was gone. Elena slowly walked up to open window. She kept telling herself there was nothing to fear. She was vampire. Stefan was there to catch her. She looked out of window. _Oh God_, it was higher than she had thought.

_Elena Gilbert, don't be coward. You can do this. _Elena whispered it to herself. It was lame to be afraid of heights now. Besides Stefan was waiting. _Stefan_. _For him_, Elena thought and sat on windowsill. „You're gonna catch me, right?" Elena thought that her voice was trembling. And Stefan was obviously trying not to laugh. _Great_, he is going to make fun of her for the rest of her life. But she couldn't help herself. Heights had always scared her. She was always the one who sit out when her friends wanted to climb somewhere. Luckily she never had to sneak out in the nights. Elena breathed in closing her eyes. And then she jumped.

After one second she was in his arms. She opend her eyes wide open smiling. This was so much fun. „Can we do this again?" The feeling she get when she jumped was indescribable. It was like _flying_.

Stefan laughed. „I thought you were afraid of heights?"

Elena raised her eyebrow still smiling. „No, I wasn't. I was just.. I was scared to tousle my hair." Stefan couldn't resist this any longer. He burst into laughter and Elena was laughing with him. It felt so nice.

„So if you're not afraid of tousling your hair anymore, we can do this again, but not here. Let's get you home." Stefan could swear that if his heart would be still beating then right in this moment when Elena smiled at him it would skip a beat.

Stefan was looking at Elena with this look at made her get off the ground. „What?" She whispered, wanting to jump into his arms so badly.

„It's just.. so nice to hear you laugh." Stefan whispered back. He sigh and they started to walk in silence. There was so much to say but they stayed silent. He wanted to reach for her hand but she was playing with her fingers.

They were at her house when Elena sigh. „I felt my purse at Bonnie's. My keys are there.." But Stefan was already handing her purse. „I took it for you."

He was perfect. Always thought of everything. Elena shook her head and let him go first. He opened door and put down bag smiling at her. Elena was stepping in her house when suddenly she couldn't move. She was looking at Stefan whose eyes were full with regret. Elena was starting to panic trying to get her foot over doorstep. „Stefan! I can't get in! Why can't I.." And then she realized. She had to be invited in. In her own house. She couldn't get in. She _couldn't_. Elena breathed in and tears were coming. She couldn't get in her own house. She was sobbing. „I can't get in.. I can't.."

Stefan was calling the only person that could help. Jeremy. After few beeps Jeremy was shouting „Stefan! Is she okay? How is she?" So he knew. Thank God, girls had told him. Stefan wasn't in the mood to explain nor he had time for it. „She is.. okay. Hey, listen to me, Jeremy! I need your help!"

„Of course! Anything!"

„She can't get in so you have to invite her in.. through phone." Stefan was almost sure it would work. He remembered 1934, Damon had pissed off some witch and she had made a spell that wouldn't let him get in boarding house. What she didn't knew was that Damon had brother. So he had called Stefan, who was in New York with Lexi, to invite him in. It had worked.

„Do you think it will work?"

„It has to." Stefan saw Elena who was now sitting on porch tears silently flowing down her cheeks. She didn't deserved any of this. It better work before he lose his control.

„Elena Gilbert, please come in!" Jeremy said it without hesitation but you could heart his trembling voice. Elena turned her face when she heard her name. She saw Stefan taking phone back to his ear and saying „I'll call you back later." Then he hold out his hand and Elena took it. She was scared to move any closer to doorstep, because fear of that feeling was scaring her. But it was Stefan. Stefan holding her and smiling at her. And he was probably the only person she would ever trust fully.

Elena took a deep breath and made a step. She didn't open eyes till she felt Stefan embracing her. Elena let out breath when she saw she was in her house. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. Tears of joy and relief.

„Shh, it's okay. It's okay." Stefan was whispering in her hair. „Hey why don't I get you upstairs so you can calm down and have some sleep, huh?"

Elena was still sobbing so she simply nodded. She needed a shower and change her clothes. And right now more than anything she wanted to crawl in her bed with Stefan. She needed him more than anything.

Stefan let go of Elena only when they were in her bedroom. But when he did she immediately turned to him with expression that killed him inside. „Don't leave!" She begged. Elena was ready to do anything that would take to make him stay.

His counter-action was hugging her again. „I'm here! I'll just go downstairs make something for you while you do what you need to do, okay? I won't leave you!" _Ever_.

Elena considered that. She might survive 20 minutes without him embracing her. Besides he would be downstairs. She knew she could hear him. Thought of knowing that he was there calmed her. „Okay, I'll be ready after 20 minutes."

Stefan smiled. „You can take your time." He kissed her forehead and went downstairs.

Elena looked around her room. It was exactly the way she had left it in the morning. Everything was same, except her. Elena couldn't believe that only this morning she had sat on her bed fighting with herself to call or not to call Stefan. She couldn't believe that only few hours ago she was in garden-party having fun. She couldn't believe that there she was, standing in her room as a vampire. When did everything went so wrong?

She sigh and took pair of jeans and jumper. Maybe shower will make her feel better.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan unpacked things from bag. He wish he shouldn't do this but there was no choice. Elena was a vampire now and she needed blood. And he is going to do everything to make it easier for her.

He took cup. Stefan thought that drinking from cup might make it easier for her. Not so disgusting. He sat and sigh. It had been a long, long day. There were so many things he needed and wanted to tell her and even more he needed to teach her. As long as he would live Stefan would do everything to protect Elena. And as long as she would let him he would stay and always be there for her. Stefan knew that there was another thing unpacked. Little velvet box. Somewhere deep down inside of him he thought about how it could be. Them together for an eternity. Nothing could ever separate them. They would be Elena and Stefan. Always and forever.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Elena did felt better when she got out of shower and wore fresh clothes. She was heading downstairs scared that Stefan would be gone. Maybe she was just too weak to hear him or he was too good with being absolutely silent but she couldn't feel slightest move.

But there he was, sitting in her kitchen. Elena was still stunned of how beautiful he was. How could it be that she hadn't seen it before? And he was smiling that same old smile that made her heart skip a beat. „Hey." She whispered not wanting to ruin this moment.

Stefan turned to her and smiled. „Hey.." Somehow it felt like they were meeting for the first time all over again.

Elena was dancing across trying to think of what to say to make Stefan stay. „Ehm.. Could you stay tonight with me? Just in case something happens.." Elena didn't want to admit that honestly she just needed him. This lust for him never left her.

„As long as you want me to."

„Forever." Elena whispered before she could even think about it. She turned around and headed back to her room cursing herself.

Stefan followed her carefully watching her. They had _a lot_ to talk about.

Elena sat down on her bed surprised to see that Stefan was holding cup in his hands. Elena smelled the blood and her gaze fixed on cup in Stefan's hands. She couldn't say if she was more scared or confused.

„I brought you this to make sure everything works out." He explained.

„I can't.. I can't drink it." Elena wanted it, wanted it so badly, but memories of that pain blocked her thirst. „I'm scared, Stefan.. It is going to hurt again and I don't think I can take that pain again."

„Elena.." Stefan began and sat next to her. „It won't. It is from blood bank and there is no vervain. And.. You need it. To make thirst go away." He hated this. Stefan hated that he had to say it all to her. This was never suppose to happen. He supposed to explain it all before and she supposed to decide if she wants to become vampire or not. She supposed to have a choice. It was now all gone.

„I'm scared, Stefan. I don't want to hurt anybody.. I can't do it.. I.." Elena was sobbing again. She had almost thought that there were no tears left.

„I'm not going to let anything happen to you! I promise, I won't let you hurt anybody!" Stefan remembered how Lexi was there for him, only she was there when it was already too late. Stefan would never let Elena turn into monster he was. He didn't believe that even blood could turn an angel like her into something he was. He won't let it.

Elena nodded and took cup from him. She was slowly taking breaths feeling her eyes turning by smelling blood. She took a sip. It was taste different and there was no pain coming. Slowly Elena drank whole cup. She was scared what might come and she sigh when she felt _normal_. There was no pain nor thirst. Somehow there was still only one thirst. And it wasn't for blood.

„Come here.." Stefan embraced Elena and they crawled their way in bed. It felt like old times. She was resting against his chest and he was slowly playing with her hair. He knew she had questions, but he wanted for her to ask them when she was ready. And he had nothing against spending time with her like this. He could just lay with her in bed and let the time pass.

„How can it be that I can't hear you? I mean, I didn't heard or even smelled Bonnie's dad.." Elena broke the silence. While she was lying with Stefan her mind was racing. He made her calm and safe. He took away her fear to ask.

Stefan chuckle and that surprised Elena. „It's because you are.. _new_ and you can't control your senses the way I can. And enjoy it as long as you can." He surprised Elena so much. She almost smiled. Stefan always found the way how to light up even their darkest moments. „Why?"

„Because it is hell an annoying thing when you can't help but hear everything. I have learned to _turn_ it off, so people around me could have at least some kind of privacy." Elena got up and looked at Stefan with wide open eyes. He had never told her these things. And she had never got used to them. Stefan chuckle again. „Don't laugh at me!" Elena threatened.

„Or what?" Stefan challenged.

„Or I will do this.." Elena fell on Stefan playfully. She still had questions but they could wait. Now she had so much more fun.

Stefan calmly looked into her eyes and said with the most enlightening voice he could fake. „You do realize I am more than 100 years older than you and that means stronger."

His calm voice and lack of interest were driving her crazy. „Oh really?" Elena challenged trying to hide her frustration. Stefan laughed and she knew she had failed trying. _Damn it!_ He always knew how to take control over her.

„Mhm." He mumble switching their places just in one second. He was now lying on her playfully placing her hands so she couldn't move.

„Hey.." Elena tried to break his hold but it was impossible. He let her struggle till she gave up and looked at him.

„I love you." He softly whispered.

Elena bite her lip smiling. „Well that's great..." She teased. It took her a lot of strength to hold herself from laughing when she saw disappointment in his eyes. „..Because I love you too."

„Damn you!" Somehow Elena always found the way how to tease him. He loosen his hold and she was already falling on him again. „You did not think you can win me, did you?" She said biting her lip.

„I swear, if one day I will have heart attack it will be because of you."

Elena chuckle. Stefan was so funny when he was mad. „I'm sorry.." she whispered trying not to laugh.

„No, you are not." Stefan said trying to keep serious face.

„I'm not.." Elena leaned to him. „Please forgive me?" She whispered in his ear.

„No." It was getting harder to think clear. She was seducing him and he was totally letting her.

„Please.." She now whispered against his lips.

He could feel her warm breath. But he was not going to give her joy of seducing him. „Fine, I forgive you." He said and lie down casually closing his eyes as he would go sleep.

„You don't turn me on only to bring me down, Stefan Salvatore!" Elena shouted.

Stefan got up and placed his hands on Elena's face. „You're so charming when you are angry." All of sudden Elena threw herself in Stefan's arms. She buried her face in his shirt. She felt Stefan's fingers running down her back as he would be trying to make her warm. She felt that he knew. He always did.

„You know that you can talk to me, right?"

„What if I am scared to hear the answers?" That was truth. She was scared to hear them because every answer brought her back to reality over and over again. She was a vampire.

„I have lived long enough to tell you that truth is always better than lies. You have to be honest to yourself. Don't be scared."

„But I am! I am scared, Stefan, because I have no idea what will happen in the next moment.. I don't know how to feel.. I don't know how to be a vampire!" She was crying again. „What if I can't control myself? What if I hurt someone I love? How am I supposed to live after that?"

„You won't hurt anyone."

„How can you know that?"

„Because.." He caress her cheek. „You are the most strongest, caring person I have ever met. I won't let you turn into something you are not." Elena calmed down by his touch and words. „You never gave up on me when I everybody else did, I won't give up on you either. Together we can do this!"

Elena nodded. „I don't know what I would do without you.."

Stefan smiled sadly. „If it wouldn't be for me, your only worry would be how to finish school."

„You are right. I would be that sad litle girl who lost her parents and never got over it. You brought sun back in my life, Stefan."

„I have always thought like that about you. All the years I spent wasting my time, never able to find myself. Until I met you." Stefan smiled at her. „I actually have something for you.."

„What?" Elena was excited. She wasn't expecting presents tonight at all.

„Something I wanted to give you few days ago.." Stefan got out of bed and went through stuff in his bag. He took a deep breath and looked up at Elena who was sitting in her bed not having a clue what was happening.

Stefan was about to start talking when Elena's phone buzzed.

„Oh, I'm sorry, I'll just turn it off..." Elena began, but Stefan whispered that it's okay and she took her phone. „It's Caroline.." Elena got up and started talking. Stefan looked at her. She was walking there and back talking qith Caroline, repeating that she is okay for few times. Stefan put little velvet box back in his bag. It wasn't right moment.

Elena hand over phone to Stefan. „Someone wants to talk with you." She was pretty sure _who_ was that someone. Damon. Elena was not sure if she was ready to talk or meet Damon, but despite what he had done, she didn't dare to come between brothers.

Elena looked at Stefan who looked worried after conversation with Damon. Damn it, she hadn't tried to listen to their conversation. She sigh. It was so confusing. Her emotions changed so fast. Few minutes back she was lying in the bed, seducing Stefan. How did he controlled everything so well?

„Damon said that he might have plan on how to kill Klaus. Everyone is meeting at boarding house, but if you don't want to see him, I'll tell him we won't be there."

Elena thought about that. She definitely wasn't in state to see Damon, but she didn't want to keep Stefan from others. And then she realized. _He might have plan on how to kill Klaus_. That means that Elena is going to have a chance to take revenge on Klaus. He threatened to kill Bonnie, but most importantly Klaus took Stefan away from her. He forced him to do things Stefan never wanted to. Klaus hurt Stefan. And Elena had to choose between having chance to make Klaus pay or see Damon. Elena smiled. „No, it's okay. I _want_ to know what that plan is about."

Stefan saw smile on Elena face. That wasn't her smile. He sigh, he had to talk to Elena, but now they had to get to boarding house. Damon had said it was important. „Are you sure you will be okay?" Stefan was though still worried about her seeing his brother. Too many in one day. But Elena nod and Stefan hugged her. They will get through this. Together.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

After Damon saw Stefan and Bonnie, two the most important people in his live, leaving him, he was left miserable all by himself. Damon shut the door behind Stefan and took another bottle of bourbon.

Damon decided to drink himself to sleep. He entered his room and heard slow clapping behind him. He turned around.

„Turning Elena into vampire? That was genius!" There she was, lying in his bed, with smirk upon her face. She bite her lip, seeing Damon's reaction. „Missed me?" She said jumping out of bed.

„Katherine."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**I have no excuse for not updating for months! I'm sorry and I'm grateful for your patience! I wrote this chapter a little bit longer to make up for not updating. Enjoy!**

"What the hell are you doing here, Katherine?" Katherine was the last thing Damon wanted to deal with now.

"Ouch. This isn't very warm welcome." Katherine said, smirk not leaving her face. "What is wrong, Damon? Messed up this time, didn't you?"

"Get out! I don't have a time to deal with you!" He turned around but there she was. Always one move ahead. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to make you hero all over again." Katherine slowly slid her fingers down his chest.

Damon jerked back her hand. He was not in the mood to play games. "You're lying!"

"Am I?" She challenged. "Look around, Damon. I'm in Mystic Falls the same time Klaus is. Do you really think I would come here if I wouldn't have a plan?"

"You have a plan? To kill Klaus?" Damon had to think about this. She was here. Katherine wouldn't risk coming here if she hadn't had something. "Fine! Tell me your plan!"

"Do you really think I am that stupid?" She smirked. It was too easy to always win against Damon. "I'm not going to tell you my plan until everyone is here." Damon was pissed at her for the last time she knew he would kill her.

Everyone. Everyone hated him now. "I can't help you with this. Right now, let's say, they are a little bit mad at me."

Katherine laughed. "Mad? I would say they hate you, but they also want to kill Klaus, so call them and tell that you have a plan." She ordered. "And don't tell them I'm here. I want it to be little surprise." For Stefan, she thought.

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You can't. But you have no choice." Katherine always won. Always.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan and Elena met Bonnie and Caroline outside the boarding house. "Are you okay?" Bonnie asked.

"I'm going to be fine." Elena nod. She felt Stefan's arms enfolding her. She smiled. Somehow she will manage to face Damon.

"We're going to go home the moment you will say, okay?" Stefan whispered so only Elena heard it.

Elena wanted to scream. She wanted to get home now. Especially she wanted to know what is that thing Stefan wants to give her. After Damon called, he never told her what is it.

They entered the house and Damon was smirking or that was how he wanted to show his friendliness. "Anything to drink?" He was in way too good mood. That means he really had some plan.

"What was so important?" Stefan asked clearly annoyed that he needed to be here.

"More like who." Katherine, slowly walking down the stairs, smiled at Stefan.

"Katherine?" They all said at same time. Elena freeze. She did not like the way Katherine was smiling at Stefan. Or that she was here at all.

Katherine ignored everyone else and straight walked towards Stefan. "Missed me?" She bit her lip, sliding fingers down his chest.

Stefan snapped her hand back. "Not at all."

Katherine glared at him, pissed about his attitude. Then she looked at Elena, smirking. She didn't say anything. She just looked from top to toe and smirked again, showing that she still thinks that Elena is lower than her. Just a doppelganger copy of her.

Elena felt Stefan squeezing her hand and that helped her not to try to snap Katherine's neck. She was trying to remember that they needed Katherine.

"What is she doing here?" Bonnie asked bitterly. She didn't like the idea of Katherine being here. Around Damon.

"Ugh, witch you have no tolerance at us. You should remember that you are alive only because of us." Katherine felt antipathy against Bonnie. She wasn't like Emily at all. Bonnie was disobedient.

Bonnie wanted to burn her down, but Katherine knew something, so she glared at Damon. "What is your plan?"

"My plan." Katherine kept annoy everyone. Bonnie rolled her eyes and others didn't seem very happy about this either. "We're going to fool Klaus and it will work perfectly since you are vampire." She did this on purpose. Katherine knew that technically they didn't need Elena, but she just wanted to spit that in her face.

"What do you mean?" Bonnie interrupted before this bitch would hurt Elena again.

"Caroline is going to seduce Klaus, then one of us," Katherine said pointing at herself and Elena, "Will trick Klaus in the old tomb. Then you," she pointed at Bonnie, "Will spell him and he is going to burn in the hell. We all come out and live happily ever after without Klaus." Katherine grinned. After centuries she is finally going to be free from him.

"Where's the snag?" Stefan simply did not believe everything could be this simple. Katherine was always hiding something. Always.

"No snag." Katherine glared at him. She was offended that he didn't believe him.

"Why me?" Caroline asked. Not that she wasn't ready to do anything to get rid of Klaus, but why she had to be bait?

"Because, barbie, Klaus has a thing for you." Damon smirked. Caroline rolled eyes.

"I don't know what kind of spell I should use to kill him." Bonnie admitted.

"But I know." Katherine grinned. They should start to get use to that she was always one step ahead of everyone and everything.

"Oh really? Since when you are a witch?" Bonnie challenged. She couldn't stand her attitude. She was arrogant and evil.

Katherine smirked. She took out paper that looked centuries old. "I'm not a witch but Emily was and she left me this."

Bonnie looked at paper. She recognized it without hesitation. "That's part from Emily's grimoire. You stole it!" Bonnie knew that there were few pages missing but she thought it was because that book was old and given from generation to generation.

"I didn't steal it!" Katherine shouted back, feeling offended. "I found it only last month while I was scouring every place Emily had ever lived in. I knew she would never stop looking for a spell on how to kill Klaus. It was only a pity that I _died_ before she could find back in 1864." Katherine said acting like she was sad. Stefan and Damon both glared at her _joke_. They died and then spent centuries missing her and blaming each other for her death while she was having fun God knows where.

Damon looked at Stefan who was about to explode from anger. He decided to step in before Katherine pisses off everyone. "So are you in? I mean, for months we had nothing, now we can at least try and send that creep to the hell." He looked at Elena longer than at anyone else. He knew he had no right after what he has done to her, but he knew that if Elena will be in, Stefan will follow her.

Elena noticed that Damon looked at her longer than at anyone else. She knew that this wasn't just coincidence. He was sending her message. "I'm in." She said without hesitation.

"No!" Stefan shouted. He looked at Elena who was making decisions not thinking about them. He always supported her but he knew that this time it wasn't about what she wants or needs. It was about revenge. This wasn't Elena talking. This was her vampire side taking over her.

Elena looked at him with look filled with tenderness. "I'm going to be fine. We can do it." She squeezed his hand. There is no way she is backing out from having a chance to kill Klaus.

"You don't want this!" Stefan said almost angrily. He lowered his voice but insistent tone stayed. "I'm not letting you walk in something that is so dangerous."

"But Stefan I'm going to be fine!" Elena didn't give up. She is not backing out. Klaus deserves this. Deserves to be tortured after everything he has done to Stefan.

"No!" Stefan snapped back.

Katherine smirked and stepped between them. "I think you should work your relationship problems somewhere else and let other decide." Elena flinched when she saw Katherine grinning. This was exactly what she wanted. To make them fight.

"I'm in." Bonnie said causing Damon to look at her. He was anxious about her. When he saw Stefan and Elena arguing he realized that he should have never looked at Elena. He only gave her idea that she can kill Klaus and that worried Stefan. Now, when Damon heard Bonnie without any fear saying that she is in, he realized that this can be dangerous. What if spell is too strong and it hurts Bonnie?

"I'm in too." Caroline said. If her friends can do it, she can do it as well.

"Excellent!" Katherine was the only one who seemed excited. The rest were not really happy about idea that they needed to kill someone, even if it was Klaus. Besides they were now looking at each other and thinking if this is going to work? Will everyone come back? Katherine didn't have to worry about that, because she always managed to get away. And there was no one for who she would give her life. No worrying about anyone else was what helped her survive from everything all these centuries. She was on her own and always putting herself in first place.

"How can we know that this is safe? How can we know that you won't run away in the minute something goes wrong? We all know you are not a team person." Katherine Pierce was the last person Stefan would ever rely his life on, not even talking about Elena's life. She is _not_ coming even if that means he is going to need to lock her up.

"Oh Stefan, Stefan, always so doubtful, but you shouldn't worry. You should be grateful that I even came here. I could simply keep running and leave you here but I came here to help you, help all of us." Katherine said with kindhearted tone that was an act. "Besides," She continued with exciting voice, "You shouldn't worry about your warrior princess! She is a vampire now, nothing can hurt her!"

Elena clenched her teeth. Katherine was laughing at her. But she is going to show her that she can do it! She can be as useful as everyone else!

"Oh really? If all of this is so safe, why don't you play out Elena and be the bait for Klaus?" Stefan suggested. Even if Katherine won't want it, she will be the bait, because Elena is not going even close to that tomb.

Katherine knew where Stefan was going and she played innocent. "But why me? I already gave you plan, I deserve to watch how you kill him. I'm sure Elena can do it." She blinked at Elena who glared at her.

Damon knew that one more word from Katherine and Stefan is going to snap her neck. "Hey, I think we should toss the coin to decide who is going to be the bait."

Stefan glared at Damon. But Elena interrupted before Stefan could say something. "Seems fair."

Katherine shrugged. "I'm fine with that." The truth was that Elena has probably never toss the coin and knowing her, she had bad luck. Katherine is so going to win this.

Stefan wanted to interrupt but Elena looked at him. She gave him _that_ look. That look she always give him when she is begging him to trust her decisions. He sighed. No matter what will happen he will be by her side.

Katherine was looking for a coin in her purse but Damon cut her off. "Oh no, no, no, do you really think we trust you?" Katherine glared at him but she blinked. "Caroline, give me a coin." Caroline seemed surprised. Damon knew that this barbie was so innocent and that means that no matter what is going to be the result, none of the sides will be able to protest.

Caroline gave Damon 2 cents coin and he looked excited. "So, ladies, heads or tails?"

"Heads." Katherine smirked.

"I guess I have no choice. Tails." Elena said and felt Stefan squeezing her hand. He didn't like this.

Damon smiled and tossed the coin. He caught it on his palm and grew sad. "I guess it's a bad day." He looked up.

Katherine smiled and looked at Elena. Everyone looked at Elena and Stefan was about to protest but Damon cut him off. "For you… Katherine."

She glared at him and everyone else smiled. Stefan sighed. Even if he was not letting Elena do it anyways, at least now she had no reason to fight against him.

Katherine seemed angry but she wasn't in the mood to whine about this or waste her time. "Time to go outside and have a little training. Bonnie you need to get all the ingredients or… whatever for a spell. You," She pointed at Caroline, "Come with me! I'll show you what you are going to need to do." Katherine ordered. Bonnie and Caroline didn't look very happy but they followed Katherine.

Stefan and Elena were ready to go home. A lot to talk about. But Damon called after Elena. "Can I talk with you?" Stefan gave him warning look, but Elena looked at Stefan. "I'm going to be fine. I'll meet you outside." He didn't want to leave her alone, but she directed him. "Go look if Bonnie hasn't already burned down Katherine." She smiled at him and he let go of her.

When Elena saw Stefan closing door behind him she turned to Damon. "What do you want?" She wasn't sure if she was angry or scared or uncomfortable being in one room with Damon. Honestly she had no idea what to feel at all. It was all too much.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you, but I need you to understand that I did it to protect Bonnie." Damon stopped to look at Elena, to make sure she is listening to his words. "And I would do it all over again if I should."

And Elena understood. Because she knew she would do the same to protect Bonnie. It was almost funny that she and Damon had something in common. She understood him, because she had always been ready to do anything to protect people she cares about. "You care about her," Elena said without a doubt. "And I don't know when I will be able to forgive you, but I understood you. I'm sorry I can't say I forgive you, but I guess I also don't hate you." Damon nod and Elena turned around to get out. She was ready to go home though she knew she and Stefan had a lot to talk about. She got till door when she turned around and said to Damon. "She is extraordinary and she deserves the best, so, if you are ready to give it to her, you should try to talk to her. But if you are going to hurt her, Damon, if I will ever have to see her shed a single tear because of you, I will kill you." It wasn't a threat. It was truth. Elena remembered when Bonnie was crying in her car because of Damon, she had never seen her friend crying so much. And she is not going to let Damon hurt her again.

Elena got out and saw Katherine flirting with Stefan more than training Caroline. When she got closer she realized Katherine was acting like Stefan is Klaus trying to show the best ways how to seduce him. She glared.

"Guess we have a company." Katherine smirked.

Stefan stepped back from Katherine and walked towards Elena. "Are you okay?"

"Can we just please go home?" She snapped back. She regretted being so harsh on Stefan especially when he saw his eyes saddening but she couldn't help herself. She was angry and pissed off and tired and she wanted to get home.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

They were walking back home and Stefan couldn't stand this silence any more. Ever since boarding house none them had said a word. They were together but it felt like there was huge distance between them. He stopped abruptly and looked at Elena. "What's wrong? Please, Elena, talk to me! I can't stand this distance between us. I hate it."

"What was that thing between you and Katherine?" Elena snapped. Again.

"What thing?" Stefan asked in disbelief.

"I saw you two! I saw how she was acting around you all the time in boarding house and then outside she was flirting with you and it didn't seem like you were unhappy about that!" Elena was now yelling and it felt good to finally get it out.

Elena was expecting Stefan to yell back or grew sad, anything else but smile. "There is no reason for you to be jealous." He caressed her cheek.

Elena threw back his hand and yelled even more angrily. "Jealous? I'm not jealous!" But he was right. She was absolutely jealous and insecure and mad. She was absolutely that little teenage girl who was being jealous because her boyfriend had looked in the wrong direction. Right now Elena was everything she had always been laughing at. She always laughed at girls who were crazily jealous of everyone who came close to their boyfriends. And she was ashamed so she kept her tone to protect herself.

Stefan shook his head and chuckle. "You don't have to be ashamed from what you are feeling. It's absolutely normal that now all feelings are heightened."

Elena gave a deep sigh. "How is it that you always can read my mind but I can't get even close to yours? It's unfair." Elena crossed arms on her chest.

"I'm going to teach you one day if you stop being angry with me." Stefan teased her.

"I'm not angry with you." Elena let her hands slip down. "I'm angry with me, because I'm just acting like lame teenage girl who is jealous."

"You don't have reason to be jealous. I love you and only you." Stefan caressed her cheek and this time Elena let him. "And I owe you something." Elena looked up at him surprised. "Come with me." He took her by hand and they were walking down to town's centre. They were in old part of the town, in the centre or, as girls use to call it, heart of the Mystic Falls. "Let's go!"

Elena looked up at church that was… high. Stefan had remembered about her wish to fly again. "Up there?" She asked in disbelief. It was high and she had no idea how to get on the roof of the church.

"What? I thought you weren't scared from heights." He teased her again.

"I'm not!" Elena shouted. She bit her lip and blinked at him. "Catch me if you can!" And she was gone. She ran to the church. Elena turned around but Stefan was nowhere to be seen. She turned back and he caught her and pressed her against church's wall. Elena's breathing was wildly and, if only her heart would still be beating, it would jump out of her mouth. She had to giggle. No matter how fast she will be Stefan will always be faster. He grabbed her and kissed her passionately. "Oh, kissing against the church wall… We are definitely going to the hell." Elena joked.

"As long as it is with you, I'm okay with that." Stefan smiled. "So are you ready to jump?"

Elena took a deep breath. "Yeah, except that I don't know what to do." She really had no idea what she needs to do. Just jump and she is going to be up there? With running it was easier, she just… ran.

Stefan laughed and held out his hand. "Well, we can jump together." Elena smiled and took his hands. And it was as simple as that. She just followed Stefan and jumped with him. It didn't take for them one second and they were up on the roof of the old church. Elena was breathless. Fast moves were something she still needed to get use to. They found safe place where to stand and Elena was looking around. She never knew that church was this high. She could see her house and her house was far away from heart of the Mystic Falls.

"Are you ready?" Stefan whispered. It was magical up here.

Elena looked into Stefan's eyes. "I'm ready, but I want you to jump with me." She chuckle and continued. "Because let's be honest, I'm still a little bit scared from heights." Stefan chuckle and they jumped holding hands.

It took them about 2 seconds to land and for human it would be nothing, but Elena could feel every millisecond of it. She could feel wind hitting her, she could see sight blurring as they jumped, though for her surprise she still saw every detail as if she would be jumping in slow motion. "I wish Mystic Falls would have skyscraper." Elena imagined that jumping from that high building would be incredible.

"Oh jumping from skyscrapers is much more fun." Stefan smiled remembering the feeling. Elena looked up at him in disbelief and that cause him to laugh. "I've jumped from The Statue of Liberty… naked." Elena's mouth fell wide open. "Don't look at me like this!" Stefan begged playfully burying his face in his hands. "It was crazy time. 60'. I was drunk and Lexi dared me." He explained. Elena chuckled. She could not possibly imagine Stefan jumping _naked_ from The Statue of Liberty. "Promise me you will once take me to the New York to jump off the Empire State Building!" Elena added. "Not naked." Stefan laughed and kissed her forehead. "I promise! Do you want to jump again or will you wait till the New York?"

"I would rather go home." As crazy it was, Elena felt tired.

It didn't take them long to get back home even though they were going as normal humans would. Elena didn't want to run or hurry at all, she just wanted to enjoy this night, right here, with Stefan. They were walking in silence but this time it was good silence. No more distance and walls. Just togetherness.

"Do you want something to drink?" Stefan asked when they were in Elena's kitchen. He still didn't want to ask if she wanted blood so directly but he was pretty sure Elena understood what he meant.

"I don't know." Elena sighed. "Honestly I have no idea if I'm starving or not. I don't know how to feel." Stefan nod and Elena was so happy he was like this. He didn't harass with blood but he also made sure she is okay. "I know what I want." Elena continued as Stefan looked at her intrigued by what she wants. "I want to see what you wanted to give me earlier. You never told me and you know how much I hate not to know something." They walked upstairs and Elena noticed that Stefan seemed nervous. That gave her this tingling inside of her stomach.

"Close your eyes and don't open them until I say so!" Stefan ordered. Elena was even more excited. She closed her eyes and heard Stefan looking through his bag. It was so exciting. She tried to guess what he is about to give her but he was very quiet and it was hard to guess. She heard sound that reminded her of sound that comes when you open something. Like a box. She couldn't hold her excitement any longer. "Can I open my eye? Please!" She really did felt like a kid who is waiting for birthday present.

"Elena," Stefan started and he smiled when he saw amazement in her eyes. "I know that this is 21st century and 18 years old people don't do this and I want you to know that I'm not asking you to do or agree on anything you don't want to, but I just want you to have this ring, especially since the necklace I gave you is gone and I would love to see you wearing something little from me. Something that would always remind you of me and my undying love for you."

Elena wiped away tear of deep feeling and nod. She was stunned and could barely talk. "Yes, Stefan, yes, I will take this! I accept it in every possible way! Oh my God, I love you so much!" And she threw herself in his arms. He enfolded her in his arms. "I love you too." He whispered in her ear. Elena bit her lips to stop the tears. She was so happy and she knew that there had been only two times when she had been crying from joy. Now and when she saw Stefan after three months after Klaus had taken him away. She remembered him standing there in boarding house's living room with Damon who was shocked to see his brother. Even though back then he had pushed her away she had never been so happier to see him.

Stefan took Elena's hand to put the ring on but she took her right hand out of his hold and hold out her left hand for Stefan. He looked in her eyes looking for an answer if she is okay with this and she smiled. She knew he didn't ask directly but if he would, she would say yes. There was nothing more Elena wanted than spend an eternity together with Stefan. And honestly Elena was old-fashioned. She wanted to make sure that everyone knows that she is Stefan's and Stefan is hers. And what better way there was than wearing ring?

She looked at her left hand and ring that was marvelous. She liked the way it looked on her ring-finger. "Looks so…"

"Perfect." Stefan finished her sentence. "It was my mother's and she always kept saying that I need to give it to that one person who I love the most. I love you so much, Elena Gilbert." Stefan didn't wait for her answer he pulled her close to him and kissed her. The way he had always wanted to kiss her. Passionately. Without a fear to hurt her. He felt Elena's body melting in his arms and they fell into bed.

Elena's body was burning. Everywhere Stefan touched her, kissed her, he left burning trail. Passion was taking over her body and she had waited for this ever since she understood her need for him. But this was million times better she had ever imagined. She had expected lust and, oh well, broken things everywhere, but this was like their first time all over again. Yes, it was filled with passion but also love. It wasn't just simple act of getting what they both wanted. It was about _love_. There was no need to hurry or broke things as Elena had expected. It was about examining each other bodies and to feel. Elena was feeling every part of her body, every touch of his against her skin. She completely let herself melt into him. There was no one else nothing else mattered but just two of them. Stefan and Elena.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

It was almost dawn. Stefan was slowly sliding his fingers up and down Elena's back. Elena was resting her head against his chest. There was something to do, somewhere to be, someone waiting, but right now no one of it mattered. They were just together and it felt like heaven.

Elena saw that sun was breaking. And all of sudden one sunbeam lighted their bodies. Elena freeze. There was supposed to be burning. She is supposed to burn in any minute and she was too scared to do something about it.

Stefan immediately felt change in her body. She sat up and turned to look at him amazement in her eyes. "It doesn't burn Stefan… How is it possible?"

"I asked Bonnie to spell a ring." He explained.

"You always think of everything, don't you?"

Stefan shrugged. He chuckle and got out from bed. "Come with me!" He said, picking up his shirt and pants from the floor and putting them back on.

"Where?" Elena asked grabbing her clothes. She dressed up as fast as she could and used moment to brush her hair. Just few slips through her hair so they wouldn't look like haystack.

"On the roof. Sunrise is even better than sunset." This time they didn't jump but used stairs that leaded to loft and then got up on the roof though trapdoor. They sat down on the roof and watched the sun rising above the town. "It's so warm." Elena whispered resting her head against Stefan's shoulder and closing her eyes. As a vampire everything was more sensible. And right now sun was so warm.

Elena's eyes burst wide open and she head snap her head at two young people on the street walking back home, probably from party, because Elena could smell alcohol. Then she felt her eyes change and she buried her face in Stefan's shirt. He squeezed her and when she couldn't hear young people anymore and she was sure her eyes were back to normal she raised her head. Tear fell down her cheek.

"Shhh…shhh…" Stefan tried to calm her down but she stood up and walked back in her room. When Stefan got there Elena was already crying. She was avoiding his eyes. She was a monster.

"Elena, talk to me!" Stefan grabbed her to stop her from moving around her room.

"You saw my eyes… I wanted to… They changed and yours didn't. I'm a monster. I…" She cried out and turned away from Stefan. She couldn't bear his eyes always supporting her.

"Elena it is fine besides you did so well." Stefan tried to calm her down and she couldn't understand how can be so calm.

"Fine? I wanted to kill them!" She shouted.

"Did you?" Stefan still calm asked her. For a moment, Elena stopped walking around, stopped crying and looked at Stefan. "Elena, honey, I was there and I was ready to hold you when you would try to escape my arms and attack them. But you didn't…"

"How can you know that?"

"Because… Elena, you are only few hours young…" Stefan carefully chose words. "You are not experienced enough to know how to trick me into thinking that you will be calm and then when I lose focus you would run from me. Only older vampires, like me, know how to trick others into thinking that they won't attack the pray. You are young and you are supposed to crave for blood more than anything. Instead of fighting, instead of running down the street and killing those two teenagers you buried your face in my shirt. Elena, you are not a monster!"

"But why? Why didn't I attack them? My eyes changed and yours didn't…" Elena's voice slowly faded away.

"Because I'm older and even if craving for blood is always there I can control it." He let Elena calm down and continued. "Humans have many instincts that let them survive. When you become vampire, your instincts become only stronger." He stopped to make sure she is listening to him. And she was. Elena was absorbing new information. She was like a kid when adults tell him about things he had never known. "For a vampire there are two main instincts that keep him alive. First if crave for blood, second wish to live, to survive. Humans usually had these two instincts connected but we get affected differently. For humans their mind repeats that they need water and food to survive and they are ready to eat the most unbelievable things as long as they can survive, because humans wish to live is so strong. For a vampire it is different. Yes, sure we know we need blood to stay alive or at least to be capable of existing, but crave for blood is more like need, an obsession. Technically we can survive for quite a long time without feeding but we just want and that craving is especially strong when you are young vampire or when you give in as I did. Remember I said that wish to live is so strong for humans?" Stefan asked, more to let Elena absorb everything. She nod and he continued. "Well for a vampire it is ten times stronger. Though I got to admit that it is more for older vampires. Young vampires, like you, are craving for blood and that is what makes them such an easy target. And of course also their arrogance. Anyway for older vampires instinct to survive is more stronger. No matter how much over the edge I have ever been in my ripper's days I could always knew how to stop and run or fight when danger was close. This is why older vampires always win fights against young ones. We can stop anything, even feeding, to fight for our lives." Stefan stopped again. It was time to tell her why he thought she didn't attack people. "When we were on the roof and your first instinct, craving for blood, sensed pray you were supposed to fight against me and kill those two teenagers. But you didn't. Instead you tried to hide yourself, you tried to protect yourself. And you are not supposed to know this, you are not supposed to be able to stop, but you did." Stefan said with pride. "I think you are able to be much more mature and control yourself because your first experience with blood was painful. Your mind engrave painful memory of vervain taking over your body, that pain never leaves your mind and when you saw those two your mind blocked any kind of craving because it screamed it may be dangerous. Because you accidently drank blood that was full with vervain, your mind is fearing to drink blood from humans. Your instinct to live and protect yourself is stronger than craving for blood and that puts you under control. I'm not sure I'm right, but if I am, I can train you and that means you can fight your craving and you don't need to kill."

Elena was absorbing everything Stefan had just told her. She felt tingling inside when she heard Stefan talking so proud of her. She processed everything. She may be able to live an eternity but never kill anyone. "Do you really think I can be like this?"

"Yes, I do. You believed in me when I was in my darkest hours and I believe in you. Even if your craving for blood will become stronger, I will always be there to pull you back! I promise!" Elena nod and they hugged. She felt much better and Stefan made her believe in herself. If she thought so high of her, she can do it.

Knock on the doors. Actually it was one small knock and then they heard some fighting and doors opened. "Sorry for interrupting!" Caroline shouted and Damon added. "In whatever you are doing." Elena had to chuckle, because she could imagine the way Damon said it. With a smirk upon his face. Someone kicked him and he cursed in Italian. Bonnie.

Stefan and Elena walked downstairs to see Caroline, Damon and Bonnie standing in hallway looking quite happy. "What you are doing here?"

"We came to ask for your blessings." Caroline as usual smiled though you could see she was worried. None of them knew for sure that everything will go right. There was always a possibility that something goes wrong.

"We are going to kick that creep's ass!" Damon seemed excited. As always.

"Wait what? Today? No one told us." Stefan and Elena said almost the same in same time.

"Uhm, yeah, because you two are not coming." Damon informed them. Before Stefan and Elena could protest, Bonnie stepped in. "Elena don't be mad but you are too…still too clumsy to come and there is no need for you to be there."

"We are going to be completely safe, psychopathic bitch is going to be with us. We are safe.'" Bonnie smirked at Damon's name for Katherine. Caroline continued. "Exactly! And we all know that where Elena is you," She pointed at Stefan, "are and where you are Elena is. You two deserve to be here and enjoy the day! Klaus has hurt you so much, there is no need for you to be there." Caroline as always talked romantic.

"Besides someone needs to throw a welcome back party." Damon was joking again. He was in such an epic mood.

Before Stefan and Elena could even protest or say something girls hugged Elena and Stefan looked at Damon. "Are you sure you can handle this?" The problem with Damon was that he does and only then thinks.

"After everything I have done to you two this is the best thing I can do for you. Besides we have a deal. Caroline does her part and runs away not looking back. I'm there to look out for Bonnie. And Katherine… she is on her own."

"Do you trust her?" Stefan had to make sure Damon won't have second thoughts when it comes to Katherine.

"Of course not, that's why I am going. I need to make sure Bonnie is okay." Damon looked at her, she was smiling and completely into examining Elena's ring.

"Just be careful." Stefan said.

"Don't worry, brother, I'm not ready to let you have the joy of getting rid of me just yet anyways." He smirked.

"Oh come on!" Stefan smirked back and they hugged. Girls finished looking at ring and made a deal to talk about this when they come back. All three of them said goodbyes one last time and then they were gone.

Stefan enfolded Elena in his arms. "Everything is going to be fine right Stefan? They will all come back?" Elena whispered.

"Yes, it is going to be okay."

"How can you know it?"

"Because Damon told me a little secret." He smiled. "Caroline's going to finish her part and go home. Damon will be there to protect Bonnie. They all will come back home."

Elena absorbed that. Somehow she knew that with Damon Bonnie will be safe. "Talking about Damon and Bonnie… I think it's time for you to tell me something." Stefan knew about what she is talking but he smiled an angelic smile. "For how long do you know that Damon is in love with Bonnie?" Elena raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Oh that is long story." Stefan blinked an eye to her.

"Well last time I checked, we have all day so spill the beans!" She ordered. She had talk about something that would take her mind away from worrying and what could be better than talking about love?


	13. Chapter 13

Stefan poured blood in the cup and gave to Elena. She knew that one day she will have to get use to drinking from blood banks but she refused to think about that. Not now. "Come here," she ordered and they cuddled up in her bed. "I want you to tell me everything you know!" She felt kind of excited. She knew there was something between Bonnie and Damon, and as Bonnie's friend Elena wanted to find out everything she could to make sure she can protect her best friend if that's ever going to be needed.

Stefan chuckled. "I don't really think I should gossip about my brother…"

"Oh come on!" Elena looked at Stefan she looked in his green eyes. "Please, for _me_?" Stefan laughed. She was such an actress. "Fine!" He finally gave up.

Stefan sighed. Maybe it was good thing. Elena could talk with Bonnie and maybe his brother could finally work things out with the woman he loves. "I've always thought that Damon had a thing for Bonnie. You know, he had been at least once an ass to anyone but her. Damon had always respected her and I don't think it's only because she can kick his ass." Elena had to smile. Her friend was pretty fierce and used every chance to kick Damon's ass. Bonnie was also probably the only girl in the town who never liked or got affected by Damon. It was like his charm simply didn't work on her. Until now. "My brother likes challenges and Bonnie was hell a good one. I mean, she had never showed any interest in him and that had been driving him crazy, because Damon doesn't take no as answer. So he planned all that seducing thing in that party, but really the only one who got seduced was him." Stefan smiled as a memory with Damon, walking around so depressed because of a girl, showed up in his mind. "You should have seen him after the party. He was all chipper but after Bonnie found out and avoided him, he was well like any other boy who gets rejected by a girl." Elena chuckled. It was hard to imagine Damon Salvatore suffering from problems with girls. "I was so angry with him for what he did to you, but I understand him. I mean, I was about to kill Bonnie to protect you. I'm no better than him."

"I would say that you Salvatore are just hotheaded. I mean, Damon always first does and then thinks about consequences. And you," Elena caressed Stefan, "You are just crazily obsessed with saving me." The truth was Elena was the same.

"Well we are pretty crazy boys." Stefan agreed, laughing lightly. He hoped that Elena would stop but she kept looking at his innocent face until he gave up. "With Damon it's pretty much impossible to see through walls he builds around himself, but I've known him way too long to say that he loves her. Damon loves Bonnie. But the problem is that he still doesn't understand that… Or he refuses to admit it, because of Katherine."

"Because she's back?" Elena couldn't help her jealously. She was wondering how long Katherine had been around.

Stefan laughed and Elena couldn't understand why. "Not because she is back, but because she broke his heart. After Katherine, Damon treated women like they are only entertainment and then you can throw them away. It's not that he's simply born asshole he just doesn't let anyone close, because he's too afraid that someone will break him again. Damon is actually great guy but for centuries he had been acting like this and sometimes I think he simply forgets how to be nice. You know, when you keep acting like you are bad, you forget how to be nice, how to be yourself." Elena had never really thought about this. She had to admit that just like everyone else, she judged Damon for what he does without thinking that there might be reason why he is like this. She simply assumed that he is born to be asshole. Elena didn't say anything so Stefan continued. "I think that if there is any woman in this world that can handle Damon it is Bonnie. She had never let him disrespect her, she had always been one step ahead of him. If he tried to flirt with her, she already had sarcastic answer for him. Damon could never get her by surprise. And of course the fact that she had never shown interest in him. Damon is arrogant enough to think that every woman wants him. But when Bonnie kept ignoring him, he got crazy about her." Stefan chuckled. He had always enjoyed moments when Bonnie had rejected Damon. It was driving his brother crazy and Damon usually knew how to hide his emotions, except when he was with her.

"But I don't understand," Elena started. "In that party he won. He seduced her. She fell for him. Why are you saying that she won?"

"Because," Stefan smiled. "He was supposed to get her and then throw her away like he always does. But he couldn't. He couldn't stop thinking about her. And what drove him crazy is that she didn't even try to make him fall for her. She was just herself and he realized he can't stay away. Of course there had been other women he had liked through years, but they usually caught that Damon's attention you all know, but they never got till the Damon I know."

Elena was melting over Stefan's words. It was like a fairytale about two lovers and how they met and fell in love. "You know what? As ridiculous as it sounds, I think Damon is the right guy for Bonnie. She had always been more mature than any of us. She had never really liked any guy she usually kept saying that they are all immature. And Damon is… Well he is childish in most of the situations, but he is also mature. It's probably because he is older and I mean in human age." Elena stopped here. She wasn't sure if Stefan understood.

"Damon is 22 in human age." Stefan said as if answering Elena's question.

Elena nodded and continued. "Well I think Bonnie had always been looking for older guy, someone that could be responsible and could take care of himself." They both chuckled. Damon didn't sound like this guy at all. Elena kept explaining. "Okay Damon is acting like a child and I'm not sure he can be responsible, but he can take care of himself, and that's most important for Bonnie. She had lost so many people and she had always been serious because she needs to take care of everyone. That's what she has told herself. I mean… She always stays serious and never loses herself because Bonnie is afraid that if she will do it, something will crash down and take someone away from her. You know, she dated Jeremy for a while, but it was so hard for her. She could never fully enjoy the time they had because she kept worry that someone will hurt him. And with Damon it's different. He is a vampire and he can take care of himself. She doesn't need to worry about him. And she doesn't want to admit it, but she just wants someone that would let her feel weak and scared and would take care of her. That's why she refuses to listen to Damon's reasons why he turned me. Bonnie doesn't want to believe that there is someone who would take care of her instead of trying to hurt people she loves. It's kind of complicated. She loves me and she refuses to see how Damon was trying to save her by hurting me."

"They are like fire and wind." Stefan whispered. "Damon is fire. And fire can be good, it can keep you warm but it also can be wild and destroy. Bonnie is like a wind. She is peaceful but also she can be wild. Wind can smother the fire but it also can flare it. Together they can burn down everything but they can also be in harmony. Bonnie is mostly like a placid wind and Damon is usually burning fire. Bonnie calms him down but she doesn't smother him. She keeps him peaceful and he brings out the fire in her. Together they make perfect match."

"Who do you think we are?" Elena asked, biting her lip.

"I think we are like day and night." Stefan chuckled when he saw disappointment and incomprehension in Elena's eyes. "We are different but we can't live without each other. Just like night can't happen if day hasn't come, I can't be if you are not. You know when is the most beautiful time of the day? When sun raises and when it sets, when day and night are in harmony." Elena was now smiling at him fully understanding what he means. She leaned to kiss him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Damon, Bonnie and Caroline were waiting for Katherine in boarding house. She was a little bit late and they were starting to doubt she will come.

Door opened and she came in looking exhausted. "Come, I have something to show you!" She said with irritated tone. Sure she was angry that she had to be bait and more importantly that everyone in her _team_ enjoyed this.

They all stepped outside and Damon was first to say something. "Four coffins. How positive!" He spoke ironically.

Katherine glared at him. "You don't know?" She was shocked that they didn't know, but that was why they never won. They were always one step behind. "In these four coffins are reasons why Klaus had stopped pining after Elena and wanted to kill Bonnie." She liked to watch them feel beaten.

"What's in the coffins?" Bonnie asked.

"You mean who." Katherine smirked. All three of them looked at each other trying to find answers. "Elijah. Kol. Finn. Rebekah." Katherine called sliding fingers down each coffin. "Four more original vampires."

"Four more incredibly strong vampires that can be pain in the ass?" Damon asked feeling stupid that he has never thought about why Klaus all of sudden wanted to kill Bonnie.

"Exactly." Katherine smiled angrily pissed off that she had ever come back. She should have stayed the hell away from Mystic Falls and these losers.

"What did Klaus wants from them?" Caroline asked. She flinched when Katherine glared at her.

"And what do you think, Barbie?" Katherine could make someone feel completely destroyed by only a look. "He needs you," she pointed at Bonnie, "to be dead, so he could wake up his _family_." Katherine saw confused looks and rolled her eyes. "We are going to burn this _lovely_ family or we are all dead. You understand?" She glared at each one of them and after they simply nodded she smirked. They were all obeying and Katherine started to like this _team_ thing. They looked so serious even Damon's usual smirk was gone. "I stole these coffins from Klaus's little hybrids so we better make this work or we all are going through hell."

"What we are going to do with them?" Bonnie seemed to be first to realize they had to work with Katherine otherwise this won't end well.

"We are going to hide them in the tomb. Then Caroline is going to get Klaus to pine after her till she gets him to the tomb where I'm going to face him while you little witch make sure he is going to be dead once I put a stake through his heart. Then we simply burn that place down and we are free. Any questions?" Katherine smiled.

"What if this doesn't work?" Damon asked with light smirk on his face.

"We run. As fast as we can." Katherine knew that even if this doesn't work she had all chance to stay alive. Klaus is going to think that she is Elena and unlike the rest of her partners, Katherine didn't care for anyone else but herself. If she is going to need to run, she will. That's what she is good at. Running for her life.

"Well for a coward like you that sounds like a good plan." Bonnie snapped at Katherine. "I say, we stay and fight till death." She said that looking at Caroline and Damon.

Katherine laughed a little. "Are you stupid? Why would you ever do that?"

"For Stefan and Elena." Bonnie said and when Katherine shouted surprised 'what' she continued. "I'll fight till my death so at least they could have their _happy ending_." She said last two words with tears in her eyes. When Bonnie had walked out of Elena's house this morning, she knew she may never come back. But it was worth it. To know that if she is going to die than at least her best friend is going to have a chance to be happy.

Katherine smiled sarcastically at Bonnie but secretly she felt jealously against Elena. She had everything Katherine wanted. Stefan. Family. Friends. Someone who would be ready to die for her. She shook her head. It was no time for being sentimental.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Come with me! I want to show you something!" Caroline smiled at Klaus with her best smile. She tried not to think about that she is basically leading him into his death. But that was part of Caroline who hated to hurt people. The other part was happy. Klaus ruined Caroline's and her friends lives. Once he came to Mystic Falls, he sired Tyler and broke them up, he ruined Elena's life, he made Stefan turn into ripper again, Klaus wanted to kill Bonnie. Caroline was more than happy to help with killing him. So when she smiled at him she smiled from bottom of her heart. She was happy that he is going to die.

Caroline didn't wait for his answer. She ran. She knew she couldn't give Klaus a time to think about this. She had to allure him. And right now Caroline was praying that she had fooled him. She laughed lightly when she could feel him running after her. _You can do it_, she whispered in her mind. She stopped at the entrance of the tomb and turned to face Klaus who had smirk on his face. It seemed like nice smirk and not his usual evil grin. That gave her hope.

"What are we doing here?" Klaus asked still smiling at young beautiful blonde. He was quite surprised when he had met her and she had been nice to him. There had to be something under her sudden friendly attitude towards him. Caroline had every reason to hate him but yet she was here smiling at him.

"Well," Caroline started, biting her lip "I heard this place is interesting and a little birdie told me that you know the best ways how to be fun." Caroline was flirting with him praying that she is good actress. She had to be. Otherwise they all are going to die.

"Well, that birdie is very smart one." Klaus slowly stepped closer to Caroline and she tried to control desire to shiver. She smiled when she saw in Klaus's eyes reflection of her own eyes. She had that spark. Spark that made guys crazy. "Catch me, if you can!" And she disappeared inside of tomb. Her light laugh was still in the air. And Klaus let them be his guide in tomb.

He ran inside smiling. He stopped to listen but tomb was more silent than the grave. There wasn't a single sound. Klaus's smile went even bigger when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around to face Caroline but surprisingly found Elena standing in front of him. "Elena, what a lovely surprise!" But his smile disappeared. He wasn't scared from Elena and whatever plan her little friends have made. He was angry that he had let Caroline fool him. He should have known that she would never smile at him like that. "Nice work from Caroline." He said trying to hide bitterness in his voice.

Elena laughed out loud. "Once upon a time one smart guy told me that love is vampire's greatest weakness."

Klaus frowned. "Katherine." She twirled for him and fold her hands on hips. "I'm quite surprised you are here. I believe you have an amazing plan on how to kill me otherwise you wouldn't be here." Katherine smirked and Klaus added. "Just so you know no matter what you are planning, I say you stop. You _can't_ kill me."

Katherine looked behind him like she would consider his idea. She turned back on him and sighed. "I'm sorry, but this time you are going to _hell_." As she said the last word Klaus started to scream. Bonnie's spell was working.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Caroline ran out of the tomb through the other entrance they had made. Damon awaited her catching Caroline in his hold. "Did it work?"

She was gasping and they both looked at entrance for few minutes listening. Caroline flinched when they heard Klaus screaming. "Seems like it worked." Damon said, letting out relieved sigh. "Good job, Barbie!" But Caroline was shivering. She couldn't believe that she had done it and all her fear of failing was coming out giving her panic attack. "Hey, hey…" Damon shook her lightly till she was looking into his eyes. "It's okay! You did your part perfectly. He can't hurt you anymore." Caroline nodded and Damon kind of hugged her. For some reason he let this annoying little blonde bury her face in his shirt. "Hey, Caroline, listen to me!" She raised her head and looked at him again. "Go home!" She immediately shook her head. She won't leave Bonnie alone. "Go home to Elena and Stefan! They are probably going crazy from worries. Go and tell them you did you part perfectly and everything is working! It's better if you are safe I won't have time to look over you. And don't worry about Bonnie! I'll protect her!" That was promise Damon had given to himself. No matter what happens Bonnie is coming back. She has to.

Part of Caroline wanted to argue with Damon, but other part wanted to get away from here. She considered thought of staying with Elena and Stefan. It seemed better than listening to Klaus's screams. So when Caroline nodded Damon let her go. She turned to Damon for one last time. "Good luck, Damon!" He smirked. "Oh, I'm going to have so much fun!" Caroline could hear anxiety in his voice but she smiled back at him and ran.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan had his arms around Elena but she could feel that he wasn't here fully. His look was wandering away and she could feel anxiety coming from his body. "Are you worried about Damon?" She whispered. She knew he was worrying about his brother but she wanted to keep conversation alive so she shouldn't have to worry herself. She was trying not to go crazy from thinking what could happen if something goes wrong.

"I'm just…Damon always does and then thinks and I'm just scared that he is going to do something stupid." Stefan couldn't stand not knowing what was going on. He knew his brother. He was hotheaded especially when it came to saving someone he loved.

Elena started to rub Stefan's back and whispered "It's going to be okay!" more for herself than Stefan. But as she slowly rubbed her fingers down his back she felt him slowly relaxing. She let out sigh. If he was calm, she was too.

Suddenly Caroline rushed into Elena's bedroom. Both Stefan and Elena jumped out of bed and beset her with questions. "I'm fine! It worked! Everyone else is fine! Damon told me to come here and tell you this! It's better if I'm not in their way you know me I start to panic and then I can do stupid things." Caroline started to cry and Elena hugged her. Stefan sighed. It was good news. Everyone was okay and Klaus was trapped. He couldn't do anything.

Stefan suggested get cup of blood for Caroline, Elena and himself. They needed it. To calm down.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Katherine grinned as she saw Klaus screaming in pain. He was on his knees gasping in pain. "See? After all I won." She was slowly going around in circles enjoying every second of Klaus suffer in agony. She took out stake from her jacket and put it through his right leg. He screamed in agony and she grinned. "How does it feels? To be tortured? To feel this indescribable pain?"

Klaus pulled out the stake and put it down. He looked at Katherine and smiled. "I have had better time." Katherine laughed lightly and Klaus followed her gaze. He gasped when he saw that his leg was not healing. "That little witch can be pain in the ass, can't she?" Katherine smiled at him. Klaus tried to smile back but when another agony of pain hit him he yelled. "I'm going to kill you, Bonnie Bennett!" That little witch is going to pay for this when he gets out.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Bonnie was surrounded by hundreds of candles in the other side of tomb. Damon had insisted that she has to do her spells as far from Klaus as possible. A little devilish grin appeared upon her face when she heard Klaus yelling his threat. She was getting ready to start another spell when she felt something rattle behind her. She turned around and jumped when she saw it was only Damon. "Oh my God! You scared the hell out of me, Damon!" She yelled at him letting out relieved sigh that it was only Damon.

"Sorry!" He said but she glared at him with her big brown eyes because he wasn't even trying to hide his smirk. "What?' He asked with the most innocent face he could make.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Bonnie snapped back. She hated when someone scared her by jumping out of nowhere and since Damon was vampire he did it quite a lot.

"I just came to make sure you are fine." Smile curved up on her lips and Damon shrugged. "You know, to ask if you are not running out of these herbs or whatever this witchy stuff is."

Bonnie thought it was ridiculously bad time for Damon to try to flirt with her but she couldn't help but smile at him. "Well I'm fine as you see, so get out."

"What? You are throwing me out of your little witchy voodoo corner?"

"My witchy what?" She shook her head in surprise. Damon never stopped acting like this. Never. "I need to make a spell that would keep Klaus and every other vampire within a radius of 50 miles unable to heal and you standing here are not really helping since you are vampire." Bonnie told him. Damon put his hands in the air mocking capitulation and Bonnie had to laugh. "If you need something, I'll be up there." He was still not going away. "I know." Bonnie smiled and nodded for him to leave her. When he disappeared she laughed lightly and turned back to making spell.

Damon bit his lip smiling when he started to get ready things for burning tomb. He liked when he could make her smile and laugh. This feeling was so good. Way too good.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"It's kind of sad that there is no one to rescue you." Katherine said with sad face that turned into laugh when Klaus angrily glared at her.

"Comes from someone who has no one by her side, no one that would love her or die for her. I guess we are not that different after all." Klaus grinned ignoring pain. He was starting to deal with the idea that he may die very soon. This time they had quite a brilliant plan and it seemed like working. What they didn't know was that he had few surprises for them as well. "I should have killed you when I had a chance."

"Oh please, don't act like you didn't want to. The only reason I'm still here is because your brother _Elijah_ loved me. I fooled him just like everyone else." Katherine grinned when Klaus flinched of mention of Elijah. "Speaking of devil, guess what I stole from your little hybrids today? Or should I say _who_?" Katherine smiled evilly.

Klaus stood up ignoring the pain that every move brought. "You little bitch!" He wanted to yell but he could barely get words out of his mouth. Katherine had staked him about five times and he wasn't healing.

"I what?" Katherine asked with an innocent smile. She grabbed Klaus and finally put the last stake through his heart. He flinched and his body fell on her. She stepped back and Klaus fell on the floor. "You are going to burn in the _hell_ with the rest of your family!" She pronounced every word slowly enjoying every part of it. Finally she is going to be free from Klaus. Finally she is going to be free from fear.

For Katherine's surprise Klaus slowly crawled till the wall and laughed. "You know what was my greatest kill? Also my favorite?" Smile faded from Katherine's face and he laughed again. Laughing brought excruciating pain but it was worth it. "The way your mother begged for my forgiveness…" Klaus smiled as if memory came back. "She was begging on her knees like a dog. Your father, I killed him the moment I saw him. He fool thought he can fight against me." Klaus choked that turned out to be laugh. He continued as he saw Katherine's face. He knew she was remembering sight that was waiting for her when she got home. Her family dead. All of them.

"I left her for last bite. I made her _watch_ while I killed her children, your sisters and brothers. Her screams are still in my head. And oh that little guy what was his name… John? Johnny?"

"Johnnathan." Katherine whispered angrily.

"Oh right Johnathan!" Klaus waited till Katherine looked at him with crazy look. She was on the edge of wanting to tear off his head. He kept smiling. "That little knight took out his sword and tried to stab me. Quite a brave guy. What a pity it took me less than 2 seconds to end his life. One snap and he was dead." Klaus grinned when he heard Katherine screaming in anger. She ran to him yelling in his face "You son of a bitch you are going to burn alive in hell!"

"And you are burning along me." He whispered and put stake in her stomach. She gasped and stepped back trying keep balance. Katherine was trying to get stake out of her stomach but spell was working also on her, she was too weak and she collapsed against the other wall. "You son of a bitch, you tricked me into attacking you!" She accused Klaus who had used his last strength to put stake trough Katherine. He was barely alive. "I always win, my dear, always!" Katherine was gasping for air and Klaus choked again. It was meant to be laughter. "You know, I'm kind of glad I didn't put it through your heart. It's so much better to see you in pain than seeing you die immediately."

Katherine also laughed lightly. "They are going to help me. I won't die!'" She got up and slowly started walking. She had to get till the Bonnie or Damon.

"Give my regards to Stefan!" Klaus laughed and choked at the same time. Katherine frowned. She turned to face Klaus for one last time. He was dying, he _is_ going to be dead after few minutes but his last words made Katherine nervous. Technically Klaus had no power to harm her or Stefan but his laugh was like telling her that he has something planned for them. She shook her head and continued walking. It was probably just Klaus trying to scare her for one last time.

Katherine was slowly taking steps and everything was getting blurry. She forced herself to take steps to get away to survive. "You are not dying today." She whispered to herself. She had to clutch her head when Bonnie kept spell alive. Her head was pounding. Katherine smelled smoke. That means Damon had started a fire. She better get the hell out of here before everything is on fire.

Slowly Katherine reached part of the tomb where Bonnie was working. "Bonnie…" She whispered and choked again. But when Katherine looked up at Bonnie she saw that girl's nose was bleeding and she collapsed. The spell had been too strong for her. Katherine turned away leaving Bonnie on the floor. If she can't help Katherine, Katherine won't help her either.

But smoke and pain were taking over. Katherine fell on the floor and tried to get stake out of her stomach. As long as it was there it hurt so badly. But she was too weak. Everything was like in blur and she was too weak to stand up again. A light smile appeared when she saw Damon all strong and healthy coming her way. "Thank God you came!" Katherine whispered when Damon kneeled next to her. "What happened with you?" He asked looking at her already grey skin.

"Klaus." She choked. "He got his last shot before he rot in the hell." Damon jokingly shook it off. "Come on, Damon, help me!" Katherine smiled. She was not sure he would. After everything she had done to him.

"I came here for Bonnie. Sorry!" Damon said smirking.

Katherine remembered unconscious girl lying on the floor. She knew if Damon is going to find her she has no chance of getting out so she started to lie. "She's fine! I saw Bonnie getting out of here about 5 minutes ago. I'm sure she's out you just missed her."

"She wouldn't leave you here." Damon snapped back.

Katherine laughed out loud. "Of course she would. She hates me!" Damon seemed to consider that. "Oh come on Damon, help me for sake of old times." She smiled one of her innocent smiles that used to seduce Damon back in 1864. He was giving in when they heard little whisper from the tomb. "Damn it!" Katherine snapped when Damon ran to the corner where whisper came from.

It was Bonnie lying on the floor. After she saw Katherine leaving her she thought she is going to die. But then she heard Katherine talking with someone. With Damon. So Bonnie used last strength she had before passing out to call his name. She hoped that maybe just maybe he would come for her.

And he did.

**I'm so sorry for ultimate lack of updating! But as you see I'm still alive and so is this story. So what are your thoughts? What is going to happen? Will Damon be able to save them? Or will he is going to have to choose between Katherine and Bonnie? I'll do my best so you could find the answers to these questions soon. Thank you for reading and all your support! **


	14. Chapter 14

Damon kneeled next to unconscious Bonnie. Stream of blood was flowing down her face. That means it's bad. He bit his wrist and raised her head to feed her with his blood. She seemed to take it willingly and after few drops Bonnie opened her eyes. "Shhh, it's okay." Damon whispered caressing her hair. He wanted to kiss her but that was just insane. He shook his head and remembered about tomb and fire. They needed to get out. And fast.

Damon was carrying Bonnie in bridal style out of the tomb when Katherine saw him. "Damon, help me!" She begged, choking from smoke.

Damon was almost devilish when he looked down at Katherine. "You lied. You deserve to burn in the hell where you should have burned 148 years ago." And he didn't stop.

"No, no, no Damon!" Katherine yelled after him. He turned around to see her for one last time. "Why would you save her?" She pointed at unconscious Bonnie in Damon's arms with her already grayish hand. "She doesn't love you. She will _never_ love you. In fact, she hates you." Damon frowned at Katherine's words. "But I could love you like I used to. This time only you and me."

Damon smirked down at Katherine. "Goodbye Katherine!" And he was gone.

When he got out of smoky tomb Damon could still hear Katherine yelling his name. He closed his eyes as one tear rolled down his cheek. In that moment, yelling from tomb stopped. So she was really gone now. Forever.

But Damon was brought back to reality when Bonnie started to move. He slowly put her down holding her head. He lowered his head looking down at the beauty in his arms. She was still sleepy. Maybe for witches it was different.

"Oh my God is she okay?" Elena shouted as she kneeled next to Damon desperately trying to hear Bonnie' heartbeat. After few seconds Caroline and Stefan were around Bonnie too.

"Yes, she is fine." Damon whispered, feeling somehow angry at three vampires around Bonnie. He felt like they are going to take her away from him any minute. "I gave her my blood. So I need to take her home and make sure she is safe." Without waiting for Elena's response he picked Bonnie up in his arms and passed Elena.

"Where's Katherine?" Caroline asked.

Damon stopped, not turning back to face them. "She's dead. I could save only one of them." He continued walking and no one asked any more questions.

All three of them shocked looked at Damon slowly disappearing in woods. Caroline was first one to break the silence. "So we did it. We killed Klaus. We are finally free." With every sentence she got more and more cheerful. "We need to throw a party!" Caroline was smiling like a spring sun.

Elena lowered her head and smile curved on her lips. She just couldn't say no to Caroline's sunshine smile. "Fine, throw a party." Caroline threw her arms around her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She sang in Elena's ear. It was one of the traits Elena envied about Caroline. She could be so careless, so full of joy any minute. Caroline knew how to stop, or at least cut down, worrying and simply enjoy small things. Okay, killing Klaus wasn't small thing. And actually Elena could use some fun. Last party she went to was Bonnie' garden party and look how that ended. With her dead. Literally and figuratively.

They were heading back to cars and Caroline wouldn't stop talking about upcoming party. Elena was holding Stefan's hand as she looked up at the sky. It was clear blue. It was almost impossible to believe that finally they could be happy. Without Klaus threatening to kill somebody. She squeezed Stefan's hand and looked at him. He smiled at her. _That_ smile. That would stop her heartbeat... when she used to have one.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Bonnie slowly opened her eyes. She blinked few times but she felt surprisingly good. Then she realized she is looking at ceiling. In her room. In her house. She got up and jumped when she saw Damon smirking at her. "What the hell are you doing here?" Bonnie yelled at Damon then she sighed and continued calmly. "You scared me." Again. This was the second time today. Wait, the first time was when she was in a tomb. Making spell… To kill Klaus. "Wait, did it wor-"

"Yes, it did. Klaus is dead. Everyone's fine." Damon cut her off. Bonnie glared at Damon for cutting her off. He only laughed at her glaring at him. So she rolled her eyes. It was childish. Damn, she was so childish when he was around her. "What are you doing here?" She asked angrily. Damon made her angry. He always did.

"Well I had to give you my blood so-"

"What?" This time Bonnie cut him off. "You did what?" Bonnie had no idea how it felt when you turn into vampire. Damon better pray that she is not turning into one. Or the first thing she is going to do is rip his head off.

"Don't worry! I did it because you were unconscious. I was trying to save your life." For God's sake, she made him crazy. All he wanted to do was to kiss her till they both can't breathe. But that would be as good as going into death. She would kill him.

"Then what are you still doing here?" Bonnie was mad. She didn't want him to save her again. It means she owes him. And Damon Salvatore was the last person she wanted to owe something.

"I thought it would be nice to make sure you won't wake up alone, trip, fall down the stairs and turn into vampire." Damon smirked. Bonnie bit her lower lip. It was kind of funny even though after everything that has happened vampire jokes weren't exactly appropriate. But this was Damon. When did he ever say right things in right time? Probably never.

There was a silence between them. Damon was just looking at Bonnie, studying lines of her face as if this would be the last time he would see her. He couldn't explain why but he had this obnoxious feeling inside of him. The feeling that he will lose her any minute.

Bonnie was trying to avoid his look. It was hard to do it since Damon obviously didn't think it's rude to stare at someone like this. Some part deep down inside of her heart wanted to look at him too but she was too scared his deep blue eyes would pull her in doing something she doesn't want to. Or doesn't want to admit that she desires it.

"So there is party tonight…" Damon broke silence. He had his usual smirk on and Bonnie wondered if he knows how she feels. She tried to clear her thoughts. Party?

Bonnie obviously looked confused because Damon continued. "Caroline wanted to celebrate our victory so she is throwing a party. At Grill. 9 pm."

Bonnie did notice he called Caroline by her name and not Vampire Barbie. It was something new. "What time is it now?"

"Well... It's 8.30. You have half an hour to get ready." Damon smirked as he stood up from chair. Bonnie wasn't sure if she should say goodbye to him or how he will leave. Through window, through door?

After all she stood up from bed and they were looking at each other for few seconds before Damon smiled at her and turned to leave. He was going like all normal people - through door. "Damon!" Bonnie yelled before she could think of what she wants to say.

Damon slowly turned around. "Thank you… for saving my life!" Bonnie mumbled but it seemed like Damon caught her words. He only shook his head and smiled. And then he was gone.

Bonnie sighed and fell back into her bed. She wasn't sure she wants to go to party. It wasn't like she wouldn't want to celebrate but something stopped her.

Damon.

Damon.

_Damon._

His name was hunting her thoughts and all she could think of was him. It was ridiculous and incredible how this one vampire had gotten under her skin. She used to hate him. Where did all that antipathy go? When did her hatred turned into sympathy? But the most important thing was how can she get him out of her mind? And if she even wants to get him out?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They decided that their victory party would take place at Caroline's. Her mom was working late tonight and Mystic Grill seemed too crowded, and Elena wasn't in the situation where crowded places would be great for her. So they bought a lot of snacks and simply enjoyed the moment. No worry, no fear, no more anxious feeling that something bad is about to become.

Right now Elena was eating fifteenth cookie and she couldn't stop eating. Caroline was pretty sure that Elena was the reason why snacks disappeared within 10 minutes. She was eating and eating and she couldn't stop.

Stefan, Matt and Tyler were lighting the fire and when they came back to the girls Caroline was in panic that Elena would soon eat every food supply Caroline has. "Stefan! Thank God! Please, restrain your girlfriend before she eats everything and everyone including me!" Caroline threw her arms in the air. Elena was now eating her second sandwich that looked more like tripartite piece of everything Caroline had in the fridge.

"What?" Elena mumbled in between taking two big bites. Caroline was obviously exaggerating. She was just eating a little bit… or not. Elena looked around the bed she was sitting on. There were three empty packs of cookies and an empty plate on which few minutes ago was plum cake. Did she really eat all of this? "Okay maybe I have a problem here."

Elena looked up at Stefan who was smiling. She reached for his hand and followed him out of the room. They were going in the dark but night no longer was a problem for Elena. She saw clearly just as if they would be going in the daylight. "So why did I basically eat half of tonight's snacks?" Elena asked when they reached woods. They sat down on the broken branch. Elena remembered that she, Caroline and Bonnie used to come and sit by this old branch whenever they had bad day. They would just there in silence until one of them bursts into laughing and then all three of them would just laugh and talk about how stupid had been their quarrel.

"You are still only few days _old_ so mood swings, cravings for food or _blood _are still controlling you." Stefan began caressing her hand. "Are you okay?" He asked that looking her right into the eyes. Elena had been telling him she feels fine every time he asked but he had a feeling she is lying or she is just confused to know how to really feel. He was newly made vampire decades ago and he had forgotten how that first week feels like.

"I'm fine! I really am." Elena was sure of it. She had asked herself that question about million times every single second. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt someone because she was having bad day. "It's just that…"

"What?" Stefan tried to encourage her to tell him whatever is on her mind. Elena frowned. "Elena, you need to tell me what's on your mind. Only that way I can help you." He was slipping into desperate mood. Stefan promised Elena he would not let her do something reckless and he was tended to keep it that way.

"I don't know. I feel good, I really do but tonight I couldn't stop eating. And I have this urge to eat exactly food. Not blood, but food. It's like I'm on my period and all I want is to eat ice cream all day." She wasn't sure how to explain. She had had these urges for food before, back when she was human. It was something girls have when they are feeling sad or stressed or when they just want to eat everything that doesn't move.

"Humans tend to eat when they are worried or depressed. Just because we are vampires doesn't mean we don't feel like that. The only difference is that we mostly crave for fresh human blood and not cookies." Stefan blinked at Elena. She had a little bit of crumbs all over her jacket.

Elena followed Stefan look and felt incredibly embarrassed when she realized her jacket is covered with pieces of everything she ate tonight. She brushed crumbs off. "I can't help that I'm starving. And those cookies were so delicious. You know how much I love sweets."

"Oh Elena I'm sorry! I forgot you need to feed more often than me." Stefan only now remembered that Elena's last feeding was on the morning.

"Stefan, I'm not the little kid that can't feed herself."

"I thought we had a deal that you won't feed without me." Stefan was worried that Elena is slowly slipping away from him. That tends to happen when young vampires realize how many rules they have to follow.

Elena smiled. "What I meant was that if I would be craving for blood I would let you know so you can take me to the fancy bunny restaurant." That was how Elena called the woods. She didn't want to think about woods as the place where she has to kill about three bunnies to feel good again.

Stefan smiled at her invention. "Are you sure you don't want me to serve you a bunny?"

"Mmm, sounds delicious but I'll pass." Her lips curved into smile but it soon faded. Stefan's look encouraged her to speak. 'This will sound totally stupid but…"

"… But what?" Stefan broke the silence after Elena kept looking down at her shoes.

"Do you remember when we were on the roof and I didn't jump down and kill those teenagers that were passing by?" After Stefan nodded Elena continued. "Well you were so incredibly proud that I could control myself and I just… I felt so extremely happy that you are proud of me, that every time I feel like ripping somebody's throat open and drink them dry I think about you and that urge for blood goes away. It does stay there but it's no longer my priority." Elena took a deep breath before looking up at Stefan.

"Elena, honey, I have so many reasons to be proud of you -."

"I know Stefan. It's just that it felt so good. That you can look up at me and be proud that I haven't killed anyone."

Stefan gave it a sad laugh. Elena was looking at him all confused. "I stopped myself I… I forbid myself to be a ripper because of you…"

"… And now I am controlling myself because of you."

They joined hands and went back to Caroline's house. Hand in hand they walked in the dark knowing that as long as they have each other they would be fine.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Damon was slowly going to Caroline's house with an expensive bottle of wine in his hands. He was invited too but he was coming only because of Bonnie. At least he hoped she would be there but for a cover he decided to be late. Damon actually felt like teenager sneaking around. What this girl has turned him into…

Speaking of witch. He found her sitting on the bench in the park few houses away from Caroline's. "I thought party is in that way." He smirked expecting her to roll her eyes like she always did. But this time she just looked up at him and smiled.

"I am kind of not in the party mood." She said moving to the other side of the bench so Damon could join her.

"And why is that? It's our victory night!" He highlighted the last two words by throwing arms in the air and sat down next to her.

"I don't feel very good after killing somebody ever if it is someone as mean-spirited as Klaus. I mean killing wasn't in my to-do list before graduation." It was the last four days in the spring break. Next week they go back to school and then graduation is not so far away. Bonnie was not feeling like partying so she decided to sit here for a moment. She didn't want to ruin her friends' party either.

Damon thought about what Bonnie had said. She was just a girl. She was supposed to look for a prom dress or something instead of killing God knows how old vampires. But nothing good enough came in his mind. He wanted to say something, to comfort her but it wasn't like he could say 'Oh I understand you, I have that too'. He was still a vampire and killing was fun. So luckily for Damon Bonnie broke the silence. "So what's with you being all late?" She cocked an eyebrow at him smirking.

"I'm just being late because…" _Think of a good lie Salvatore! _"I wanted for the party to warm up before I crash it. You know, there's nothing more awkward than crashing a party that hasn't even started." He put up his face that was full of horror rolling his eyes.

"You were invited!" Bonnie cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Oooh, okay Bennett, I came only for you. Are you happy now?"

"Much happier." Bonnie smirked biting her lower lip.

Damon rolled his eyes smiling. "So what kind of witch cookies you brought?" He pointed at the bag next to her.

"A special ones."

"Oh so we can make a party only for two of us. I have wine you have cookies. Perfect."

"Wouldn't be a party if it's only two of us, would it be?" She was flirting with him.

"I don't know about you, but I would prefer only two of us." Damon almost whispered those words. He was done flirting with her but he was too nervous to directly ask her what they are doing here. He believed she no longer hates him but is there something else?

"Yeah me too." If Damon wouldn't be a vampire he wouldn't have heard her whisper. But he did and that gave him butterflies.

So they sat there on the bench, eating cookies Bonnie had bought in her favorite tuck-shop and drinking wine that Damon had took from Salvatore' supplies. They laughed and talked and laughed again. Damon knew how to make Bonnie laugh and it had became his new hobby. She was just so cute while laughing and Damon could swear that her laugh will forever ring in his ears. They were like music.

They sat there for hours until it started to get cold and just like in their first night he gave her his jacket. Only tonight she did not only wear it but she also cuddled with him. It came naturally and it felt so good, like she is warm and protected. And it felt like Damon's hand was meant to embrace Bonnie' shoulder.

In this moment they both felt relieved like finally something that has been building up in their bodies had finally been let out. They were falling in love without knowing it.

**A/N Whoop, whoop I'm alive! If you are still reading my story, I bow down to you. Tonight I was feeling inspired so I finally finished this chapter. I have decided to finish this story and start a new one which I will update regulary. But I think there is going to be one more or two chapters for this one before I start something new. So be patient and I'll do my best to keep my promise! Love you guys!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N First of all, thank you all so much for your reviews! You guys are so sweet to me! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!**

There was nothing better than a lazy Sunday morning, at least the first part of the day, when you could just lie in the bed and enjoy spring sun warming up your room. But you know what's better than this? When someone is lying with you and you can just cuddle up with him.

Elena would fully enjoy this part of the day especially after last night's activities that kept her and Stefan awake for hours if only terrifying thought about going back to school wouldn't hunt her. Tomorrow they have to go back to school after last break before exams, prom and graduation. She wasn't sure how is she supposed to handle spending 8 hours in school filled with people whose hearts bump blood every single second. She wanted to talk to Stefan about this but last three days have been more than wonderful and Elena liked to fool herself that as long as she would avoid the problem it would eventually go away. But it didn't.

"Are you going to tell me why are you so stressed out?" Stefan asked after he could literally feel Elena's body stiffen.

"Are you ever going to tell me how do you always know how I feel?" Elena answered looking up at Stefan. She always thought this has something to do with him being vampire but now when she was one too she couldn't do it. If Elena wouldn't know Stefan so well he could fool her any time.

"You didn't answer my question." He said with the most innocent smile. So there was something under his ability to read her like an open book.

Elena rolled her eyes and got up. It was Sunday morning and it was about a time to start thinking about school. She sighed and Stefan sat next to her caressing her hands. "Tomorrow is school and I have no idea how am I going to survive that. I thought about calling in and pretending to be ill but for how long can I pretend to be ill?" And from this illness there was no recovery. Before Stefan could say a word Elena started to patter. "Even if I could pretend that I have some serious illness and I can't graduate I would be stuck at home and Mystic Falls is too small. There is one hundred percent chance that I would run into someone. And I don't want to hide or pretend or be stuck at home. I just… I can't go back to school, Stefan. I'm not ready. I can't."

"Actually I had an idea what we could do about this…"

"But you didn't tell me because…?"

"…Because that would be too selfish for me to ask." Stefan was looking into Elena's eyes and she swear she needed to know how is he doing this otherwise she will get lost. He knew how to hide things from here and according to her previous experience with Stefan hiding things she had to change this before he does something reckless and she loses him again.

"Oh Stefan, now is not the right time to be worried about being selfish. I _beg_ you to be selfish and think of something better than being ill for next 2 months." Elena could see a flash of sadness in Stefan's eyes but, before she could worry about that, wave of excitement washed over his face.

"Um, well, I'm quite tired of this town. I mean, Mystic Falls is my home and it's great to be back here but… so many bad things have happened during the last few months and I'm tired of it. I just want to have fresh start. I feel like I need it, like we need it. So I was thinking about something I have always wanted to do with you."

"And that would be?" Elena liked the idea of Stefan wanting to do something with her. She was ready to do everything with him. And fresh start sounded good, very good, to be honest.

"I would love to take you to the Italy, to show you where I have born and spent first four years of my childhood. I would love to show you all my favorite cities in Europe. Just two of us. Together." Stefan had thought about this for a long time now but he didn't want to bring this up in case Elena would like to stay here with her friends and family.

Elena's face immediately lighted up. Only a thought of her and Stefan visiting the greatest cities of Europe was gratifying. She had only visited France three summers ago and it was the best summer she had ever had. And the thought about her lying on the beach in Nice instead of being stuck at home was thrilling. "I have to admit your plan is much, much better!"

"So would you be ready to go with me?" Stefan had to ask even though Elena's face told him everything. She seemed so happy only thinking about it.

"Yes. Yes. Yes." Elena said giving Stefan small pecks after every yes.

"Oh you are going to love Italy!" Excitement was all over Stefan's face. In this moment Elena felt so happy she could die. Happiness was something she hadn't had a chance to enjoy fully for a long, long time. Now it was overwhelming her.

"I'll have to tell Bonnie and Caroline." And as Elena said those words she heard her friends entering her house. "Now." This spontaneous idea about going away was thrilling but Elena was sure her friends might disagree. Stefan encouraged her by smiling at her. "I'm going to pack my stuff and tell Damon."

Baggage. That was something else Elena needed to worry about. "What do I need to take with me?" All she knew was that they are going to Italy. She had no idea for how long or what they will be doing afterwards.

"Nothing." Stefan chuckled when Elena looked at him her big brown eyes wide open. "We can buy whatever we need when we get there. Take only things you can't live without." He added knowing girls usually needed a lot of stuff with them to feel comfortable.

"But... but…" This was crazy and spontaneous and probably reckless but Elena couldn't bring herself to delay it.

"No buts. I'll be waiting for you at the boarding house." He kissed her cheek but Elena murmured and pulled him in for a real kiss. "I love you." He whispered before disappearing out of her window.

"I love you too." Elena whispered back knowing he will hear that.

"Elena!" Caroline yelled from downstairs. Elena sighed. This is going to be fun.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Caroline and Bonnie were both intensely staring at Elena for about 10 minutes already. She told them everything and they hadn't said a word to her.

As always the first one to speak was Caroline. "You are going to ditch school… On your senior year… To go to Italy… With Stefan."

Elena tried to smile but her friends were staring at her in a scary way so she just nodded. "That's a plan."

"You're going to ditch school on your senior year to go to Italy with Stefan…" Caroline whispered again. She clapped making Elena and Bonnie jump in their seats a little bit. "That's so romantic, oh my god!" Elena's lips curved into relieved smile.

"What?" Bonnie shouted disappointed at Caroline's appreciation of this totally reckless plan. She was expecting Caroline to tell Elena this is crazy and that she can't just fly off into sunset with Stefan but instead Caroline clapped and smiled and sighed happily. Elena turned her beseeching eyes on Bonnie. She just rolled her eyes. "This is crazy, Elena! Reckless and stupid and crazy."

"Oh shut up Bonnie! This is so romantic!" Caroline was melting only by a thought of Stefan and Elena finally getting their happily ever after.

"I was going to say that this is reckless and stupid and crazy but if it's what you need to do then you should go." Bonnie did thought this was crazy idea but part of her envied Elena. She wished she could just leave too. Get away from everything but she couldn't. Exams, prom and graduation were waiting for her. Besides she wasn't sure she is ready to leave Damon just yet.

"Aww girls! I'm so happy and excited to go! Finally I and Stefan will spend time together without worries and Klaus cloud above our heads. I feel like me becoming a vampire isn't that bad after all. I'm just going to miss you!" All three of them joined for group hug.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"What? You can't leave to deal with those peasants alone!" Damon shouted at his little brother. This idea was reckless and stupid and crazy and Damon wished he could go with him. But he couldn't ruin their little getaway. Besides he wasn't ready to leave Bonnie just yet.

"You could use some alone time. Maybe try to mature." Stefan teased.

"Why would I want to mature? I have everything I want. Whiskey, house and the most gorgeous girl in the whole Mystic Falls. Besides I'm not the one who is stuck in his seventeen'." There was something so very good about joking with his brother in a good manner. Something he never thought he could do.

"You and Bonnie could come and visit us after she graduates."

"If she is going to stick with me for that long." Damon had this obnoxious feeling that sooner or later Bonnie will get bored with him and leave just like everyone else always leaves. When he was with her he was happy, his whole body and mind was flying somewhere into space but whenever she left this overwhelming feeling that she might never come back hit he again.

"She will." That was all Stefan said.

"Just because everyone always loves you, doesn't mean someone can love me." It was hurtful truth. His little brother had something that made everybody love him. They never left Stefan no they did everything possible to stay with him. "There's no reason for Bonnie to stay with me. She has her own life, her dreams. Sooner or later I will have to let her go." Damon shrugged to hold back tears. Hew couldn't5 believe he might be crying over a woman.

"Wow, I have never seen you like this. You are so…"

"Miserable?" Damon helped.

"Mature." Stefan finished and smiled when Damon looked at him surprised. "Just a few months ago you were ready to go over dead bodies to keep Elena. Just a year ago you killed people to get back Katherine and now you are ready to let Bonnie go if that is what she will want."

"Ugh, I know. That little witch is making me crazy."

"I'm doing what?" Bonnie said folding her arms over her chest grinning devilishly at Damon.

"Making me craaaazy." Damon rolled his eyes and stepped closer to her.

"Like you wouldn't love when I do that." Bonnie said and jumped into his arms. Damon twirled her around and kissed on the lips.

"Oh my gosh, so much romance for one day." Caroline was melting at the look of her friends being happy. Elena and Stefan are going to Italy. Bonnie and Damon are both in love. Who would have thought this is ever going to happen?

Damon looked at Caroline and smiled. Stefan was right. Bonnie is making him mature. Come on, in every other situation Damon would have mocked Caroline but Bonnie showed him that life can be not only bittersweet but also full with joy and happiness for someone like him. And now he had no need to mock someone else life because he had everything he wanted in his arms.

"So I guess this is a goodbye." Elena whispered and Stefan embraced her. Ever since he told her his plan he kept watching her, catching her mood. Stefan wanted to be sure this is what Elena really wants. And all he felt coming from her was happiness.

"Oh come on another group hug before I start blubbering?" Caroline hugged Bonnie and Elena hard. A little bit too much for Bonnie and her fragile human body but she didn't mind.

"Oh come here." Damon said to Stefan rolling his eyes.

They hugged and said goodbyes to each other. A promises to call and text and visit each other. Caroline shred a tear, Bonnie was genuinely happy for Stefan and Elena, Damon was feeling a little bit weird. This will be the first time Stefan and him are going to be part. Ever since a year ago when Damon came back to ruin his little brother' life they started to live together. Stefan spent summer away with Klaus but that was different. Now Damon knew he might never come back. He had Elena and they were going to live their eternity to the fullest. It was saddening not to know when he will see his little brother again. So Damon promised to himself that he won't let his brother to forget about him just yet. After all who is going to tease his little brother if not Damon himself?

When Elena and Stefan got into Stefan's car to go to an airport and waved the last goodbyes to their friends and family Elena knew that her new vampire life with Stefan is just about to start. A thought that they have an eternity to be together made her realize being a vampire isn't that bad. As long as she has Stefan she can do everything, be everything.

"I love you so much." She said as they Stefan was driving out of Mystic Falls.

"That's good because I love you too." He said smiling and letting her pull him in for a kiss.

This is only the beginning of a journey with Elena. A journey he had been waiting for so long.

**~ The End ~**

**A/N I know that this might have been longer and more complicated but I really wanted to finish this story so I can move on to brand new story. I don't know when I'll publish this brand new story but I can tell you it will be about my beloved Stelena. **

**Also I wanted to thank every single one of you who had read, favorite, followed, reviewed and been there with me. When I wrote first chapter I never even thought about publishing or writing full story. It was just one of my many ideas that I somehow decided to continue. So THANK YOU for being here with me in this incredible journey… And prepare yourself because my next story will be something that I have been trying to write for a quite a long time and I actually love that idea. See you soon! Xoxo**

**P.S. There might be a chance I publish some one-shot in between publishing new story. **


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